Cormorant

Cormorant

The cormorants at Brownsea in Dorset featured in Autumnwatch 2008.

Can you spot a cormorant on Dorset Wildlife Trusts' Brownsea Island Lagoon webcam?

View a slideshow of your amazing cormorant pictures in the Flickr group.

Watch all the best cormorant action from the shows.

Species information

A large dark-coloured seabird with a long hook-tipped bill, the cormorant has a dazed expression with a scaly look and long neck. In fact, it's almost primeval in appearance.

Not to be mistaken with the similar looking shag, it has a white chin and cheek patches with a white thigh patch while breeding. The cormorant, at nearly one metre, also stands taller than the shag. Look out for the way both species stand on rocks or posts and hang their wings out to dry after diving for fish, as the plumage isn't completely waterproof.

The species has a reputation for being greedy fishers, stealing fish that are commercially valuable. But is this a reputation it deserves? Yes, it's a skilful fisher and will catch trout and salmon from rivers. But it much prefers to eat less valuable eels and flat fish.

The cormorant nests in colonies on cliff tops and beside rivers and lakes, sometimes even in trees. It can be seen all year round in the UK and is widespread along much of our coastline and estuaries. Especially in winter, it will even venture inland to reservoirs, lakes and rivers.

How to help

Help map cormorant movement and distribution throughout Britain and Ireland with BirdTrack.

October 2008

Are we going to find out why the lagoon on Brownsea Island is inhabited with cormorants?

Brownsea lagoon cormorants

Bill and Kate look at the cormorants on Brownsea lagoon. The cormorant has to hang its wings out to dry as it is not very waterproof. Strange for a water bird!