Microcarbo africanus
The Reed Cormorant (*Microcarbo africanus*), a diminutive and agile aquatic bird, is a jewel among its larger cormorant relatives. Measuring 50-55 cm (20-22 inches) in length with a wingspan of 80-90 cm (31-35 inches) and weighing 350-550 grams (12-19 oz), it is the smallest cormorant in its extensive African range. Its plumage is a striking glossy black, often with a greenish sheen, contrasted by a short, stout yellow bill, a bright yellow patch of bare skin at the gape, and piercing red eye...
This adaptable species primarily inhabits a wide array of inland freshwater and brackish wetlands, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, swamps, and estuaries. It typically occurs at low to moderate elevations, rarely found in montane regions.
Primarily piscivorous, the Reed Cormorant feeds mainly on small fish, actively pursuing them underwater. Its diet also includes a variety of aquatic invertebrates such as crustaceans and insects.
Reed Cormorants are diurnal birds, primarily active during daylight hours, often gathering in large communal roosts on trees or sandbanks at night. Their foraging strategy involves pursuit diving, where they actively swim underwater to catch prey, often in shallow waters. While typically solitary...
The Reed Cormorant boasts a wide and stable distribution across much of Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Its breeding range encompasses virtually all suitable freshwater and brackish wetlands from Mauritania and Senegal in the west, eastward through the Sahel and central Africa, down to South A...
Least Concern
- The Reed Cormorant is the smallest cormorant species found across Africa, making it easily distinguishable by size from its larger relatives. - Unlike many aquatic birds, cormorants have less preen oil, making their feathers semi-permeable; they frequently spread their wings to dry after diving...