Little Cormorant

Latin Name: 
Phalacrocorax niger
Size: 
50cm
Description: 

Sexes alike. India’s smallest and most common cormorant; short, thick neck and head distinctive; lacks gular patch. The Indian Cormorant P. fuscicollis is larger with a more oval-shaped head. Breeding adult: black plumage has blue-green sheen; silky white feathers on fore-crown and sides of head; silvery-grey  wash on upper back and wing-coverts, speckled with black. Nonbreeding adult: white chin and upper throat. Gregarious; flocks in large jheels; swims with only head and short neck exposed; dives often; the hunt can become a noisy, jostling scene; frequently perches on poles, trees and rocks, basks with wings spread open.

Habitat: 
village tanks, jheels, lakes, occasionally rivers and coastal areas.
Food: 
mostly fish; also tadpoles, crustaceans.
Distribution: 
subcontinent, south of the Himalaya.
Call: 
Call Description: 
mostly slient.
National Status: