Great Cormorant Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesGreat Cormorant
Breeding adult (North Atlantic)
Large, chunky waterbird with a long tail and neck. Breeding birds are dark overall with white patches on the flanks and the throat.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, March 21, 2017Breeding adult (Eurasian)
© Natthaphat Chotjuckdikul / Macaulay LibrarySamut Songkhram, August 01, 2020Adult
Like other cormorants, sits low in the water making its body look small compared to the long neck and head. Dives for fish.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryOctober 01, 1998Juvenile (North Atlantic)
Large, chunky waterbird with a long tail and neck. Juveniles have a pale neck and a white belly.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 05, 2015Nonbreeding adult
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryEngland, October 01, 1998Breeding adult (North Atlantic)
Breeding birds have white flank patches that are most easily seen in flight.
© Keenan Yakola / Macaulay LibraryMaine, May 03, 2015Juvenile (North Atlantic)
Large, chunky waterbird with a big head, hefty bill, and long tail. Juveniles are dark above with a small white throat patch.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, October 20, 2016Similar SpeciesDouble-crested Cormorant
Nonbreeding adult
Double-crested Cormorants are smaller than Great Cormorants. Nonbreeding birds have an orange chin and dark throat whereas nonbreeding Great Cormorants have a yellow chin and white throat.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, July 16, 2016Similar SpeciesDouble-crested Cormorant
Breeding adult
Double-crested Cormorants are smaller than Great Cormorants. They have a darker face, a thinner bill, and a thinner neck than Great Cormorants, which have a whiter face and a thicker bill and neck.
© Mark Sawyer / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 10, 2017Similar SpeciesDouble-crested Cormorant
Juvenile
Juvenile Double-crested Cormorants have paler throat and a dingier belly than juvenile Great Cormorants, which have a darker neck and paler belly.
© Jane Mann / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, February 28, 2017Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Cormorants and Shags(Order: Suliformes, Family: Phalacrocoracidae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.