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 Phalacrocorax

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, Indian  Phalacrocorax fuscicollis  Found: India
Photographed by: 1) Lip Kee Yap  - India  2) J M Garg - India


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


Cormorant, Red-faced  Phalacrocorax urile  Found: far north Pacific - North America, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Budd Christman - Alaska   2) USFWS