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, Little Pied Microcarbo melanoleucos  Found: Australia, New Zealand
Photographed  1) Dick Daniels - New Zealand    2, 3, 4) Dick - New Zealand



Genus Phalacrocorax

Cormorant,_Black-faced  Phalacrocorax fuscescens  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) JJ Harrison - Tasmania Australia  3, 4)  Flying Freddy - Hobart, Tasmania


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, Little Black Phalacrocorax sulcirostris   Found: Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: 1,  2) Dick Daniels - Australia  3) Dick - Australia
3) Juvenile


Cormorant, Pied aka Australian Pied Cormorant  Phalacrocorax varius   Found: Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - New Zealand  4) Dick - New Zealand


Shag, Spotted Phalacrocorax punctatus   Found: New Zealand
Photographed by: 1) Brian Gratwicke - South Island, New Zealand 
    2) Sid Mosdell -Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough, New Zealand






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, Australasian  Anhinga novaehollandiae   Found: Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: 1, 2) Scarlet23 - Perth Zoo, Western Australia  3) Toby Hudson  4) Dick Daniels - Manly, Australia   5) Dick - Manly