Various Cormorant Species various global cormorant species

The Bank Cormorant, with the sad taxonomic name of Phalacrocorax neglectus, is native to coastal regions of Namibia and southwestern Africa. Its wings are dark bronze. Here it is by its nest: it is unclear whether it is the adult with its light eyes closed or a juvenile which has dark eyes.

The White-breasted Cormorant, Phalacrocorax lucidus, is sometimes classed as a subspecies of the Great Cormorant (as P. c. lucidus). It is also native to Africa: mainly southern Africa with isolated populations in West and East Africa. It has scalloped dark brown wings like the Great Cormorant. The adult has a white or off-white neck and breast.

The Neotropic Cormorant, also called the Olivaceous Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus, is a small, mainly black cormorant native to the far south-eastern USA, the Caribbean, Central and South America. The adult has a dark yellow throat patch bordered with white. Photos of the Neotropic Cormorant were taken by Alexandra Makhnina.

The Little Cormorant, Microcarbo niger, is native to the Indian sub-continent, IndoChina and Indonesia, where it is called the Javanese Cormorant. It is smaller than the Indian Cormorant, Phalacrocorax fuscicollis, with a shorter bill. Breeding plumage is glossy black and non-breeding mid-brown, with a white throat patch. Thanks to Dr Harsha Vardhan Reddy for the above photo.