A cormorant was seen yesterday afternoon resting on the back glass of the capsule. The seabird looked unperturbed as the lens captured him at close range. He seems to have a special interest in our seas as he loves... fishing!
Who is the cormorant
Cormorant is an anchovy seabird, which is also found in Greece. It is found in the Elaion, the scientific name of the species is Phalacrocorax carbo and includes 6 subspecies.
It is a large black bird, ranging in length from 77-94 cm and with a wingspan that can reach 121-149 cm. It has a long tail and a white chin, while adults during the breeding season acquire white spots on the thighs and white plumage on the head. A characteristic feature of the cormorant is its easily distinguishable yellow neck. Juveniles are generally lighter in colour.
It usually lives near the sea, in lagoons, lakes and rivers. In winter it migrates southwards along the coast.
In Greece we can find it in winter as it comes from Northern and Eastern Europe to Greece, mainly in the Thermaikos and Saronic Gulf but also in some lakes, such as Little Prespa, Kerkini and Orestiada. It is also found in the Axios Delta. It is often seen sitting on poles and rocks near the sea or in lakes and rivers with its wings open to dry them. An excellent swimmer and a good fisherman.
It nests in trees and rocks near wetlands, making its nest from seaweed, but sometimes inland. In spring it lays 3-4 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 28-31 days. In some countries cormorants are used by fishermen as fishing aids.
| Systematic classification | ||||||||||||||
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| Alias | ||||||||||||||
| Phalacrocorax carbo (Falacrocorax the carbonaceous) (Linnaeus, 1758) | ||||||||||||||
| Subspecies | ||||||||||||||
| Phalacrocorax carbo carbo Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus Phalacrocorax carbo maroccanus Phalacrocorax carbo novaholladiae Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis | ||||||||||||||
With information from Wikipedia.
