Birds Active during the day

Little Black Cormorant

Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

A sleek, emerald-eyed master of the water, the Little Black Cormorant is famous for its coordinated pack-hunting and iconic wing-drying pose.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 55–65 cm (21.5–25.5 in); Wingspan: 95–105 cm (37–41 in); Weight: 550–1200 g (1.2–2.6 lb)

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Colors

Uniformly charcoal-black plumage with a subtle green or purple iridescence; lead-grey bill and striking emerald-green to blue-green eyes.

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Key Features

Entirely black plumage without white markings
Slender, hook-tipped lead-grey bill
Deep emerald-green eyes in adults
Long, stiff tail often used as a rudder

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Primarily small fish and aquatic invertebrates like shrimp and yabbies (freshwater crayfish), captured by pursuit-diving underwater.

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Habitat Primarily freshwater wetlands, lakes, and rivers, but also frequently found in brackish estuaries, mangrove swamps, and urban park ponds.

Behavior

The Little Black Cormorant is a highly social waterbird, distinguished by its unique habit of communal hunting. Unlike many other cormorants that forage solo, this species often forms large 'fishing fleets' that move in synchronized waves across the water, driving schools of small fish into shallows or toward the surface where they can be easily snatched.

Because their feathers are not fully waterproof, you will frequently observe them perched on logs, rocks, or branches with their wings spread wide to dry in the sun. They are generally quieter than other seabirds but can be quite vocal at their nesting colonies, producing deep grunting or hissing sounds. While they are wary of direct human contact, they have adapted well to urban environments and are common sights in city park ponds and suburban canals.

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Camera Tips

To capture the best footage of a Little Black Cormorant, position your camera low to the ground near the water's edge, focusing on logs, pylons, or rocks that sit 30–60 cm above the water level. These are 'haul-out' spots where the birds go to dry their wings after a hunt. Since they are stationary during this process, it provides the perfect opportunity for your AI camera to trigger and record clear, high-detail video without the motion blur associated with flight.

While you cannot attract them with traditional birdseed, you can encourage them to visit your field of view by placing a sturdy, horizontal branch (a 'perch') over a backyard pond or shoreline. Aim your camera so the morning or afternoon sun is behind the lens. This is crucial for this species; their all-black feathers can look like a flat silhouette in harsh light, but the low-angle sun will reveal the beautiful emerald shimmer of their eyes and the iridescent greens and purples in their plumage.

Set your camera to a high-sensitivity trigger or use 'Burst Mode' if available. These birds are remarkably fast when diving and resurfacing, and they often appear unexpectedly from underwater. If you are near a large body of water, look for 'pack hunting' behavior during the middle of the day; setting your camera to a wide-angle view can help capture the scale of these social fishing groups rather than just a single individual.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Little Black Cormorant.

Great Cormorant

Much larger with a yellow throat pouch and white facial markings, whereas the Little Black is entirely dark.

Little Pied Cormorant

Similar in size, but easily distinguished by its bright white underparts and yellow bill.

Little Black Shag

This is the same species (P. sulcirostris), but the name used primarily in New Zealand.

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Frequently Asked Questions

They are strictly diurnal, meaning they are active during daylight hours. You will most likely see them fishing in the early morning and mid-afternoon, while the middle of the day is often spent perched on logs or branches drying their wings in the sun.

You can't attract them with food, but if you have a pond or live on a waterway, providing a flat-topped 'perch point' like a floating log or a branch overhanging the water will encourage them to stop and dry their wings within view of your camera.

Their diet consists almost entirely of small fish and crustaceans. They are particularly fond of freshwater shrimp and yabbies, which they catch by diving deep and chasing their prey with agile underwater maneuvers.

Yes, they are highly adaptable and very common in suburban parks, golf course ponds, and artificial canals throughout Australia and New Zealand, provided there is a healthy population of small fish.

The Little Black Cormorant is significantly smaller and entirely black. The Great Cormorant is much bulkier, has a thicker bill, and usually features a prominent yellow facial patch and a white patch on the thigh during breeding season.

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