The current trend is to have cormorants and shags in one family, Phalacrocoracidae, and to have the ahningas and darters in another, Phalacrocoracidae. However, these species are very similar so it would not be surprising to have them combined into one family again. A major characteristic that unites them is the lack of an oil gland for waterproofing their wings. Thus cormorants and anhingas are often seen with their wings spread out to dry their feathers.

Cormorants and shags are medium-to-large seabirds. Whether a species is call a cormorant or shag is a matter of local naming preference. They are distributed around the world, except for the central Pacific islands. They range in size from 45-100 cm. The majority have mainly dark plumage, but some species are black and white. Many species have areas of colored skin on the face which can be bright blue, orange, red or yellow. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet have webbing between all four toes, as in their relatives. They are coastal rather than oceanic birds. All are fish-eaters, dining on small eels, fish, and even water snakes. They dive from the surface. Under water they propel themselves with their feet. [abstracted from Wikipedia]


Genus Microcarbo
This genus contains the smallest of the cormorants

Cormorant, Crowned  Microcarbo coronatus Found: Africa
Photographed by Dick Daniels - Cape Town waterfront, South Africa
   Juvenile. Identification based on Birds of Souhern Africa by Kenneth Newman. The white belly contrasts with a juvenile Cape Cormorant. The beak has no hook at the end, contrasted with juvenile Great Cormorant. However, Crowned Cormorants are not found commonly on shore so this ID is not definite.


Cormorant, Reed aka Long-tailed Cormorant Microcarbo Africanus  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Arno Meintjes   2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - St. Lucia, South Africa



Genus Phalacrocorax

Cormorant, Cape  aka Cape Shag  Phalacrocorax capensis  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Cape Town Peninsular  2, 5) Dick - Cape Town waterfront
1, 2) Adult and juvenile



Comorant, Great Phalacrocorax carbo   Found: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand Photographed by: 1, 2) BS Thurner Hof   3, 4) Dick Daniels - New Zealand   5) Dick - Plettenberg Bay, South Africa  6) Dick - Plettenberg Bay



Cormorant, White-breasted  Phalacrocorax lucidus  Found: sub-Sharan Africa P Photographed by: 1) Dick - Plettenberg Bay, South Africa   2) Dick - Plettenberg Bay  3) Arno Meintjes


Shag, European  Phalacrocorax aristotelis  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Andreas Trepte  2) MPF - Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK






Anhingas and cormorants are extremely similar as regards their body and leg skeletons. But unlike the cormorants, anhingas typically inhabit fresh water lakes, rivers, marshes, swamps, and are less often found near salt water. They have completely webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body. The males have black and dark brown plumage, a short erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have a much paler plumage, and are a bit larger overall.

Genus Anhinga

Darter, African  Anhinga rufa   Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Arno Meintjes   2) Stickpen - San Diego Zoo, California  3) Hans Hillewaert - Livingstone, Zambia