Description:

Large cormorant, relatively short-tailed, and white of face extending above gape onto cheek. Thick neck and stout bill. Adult breeding is glossy black, with orange facial skin, white cheeks and throat, white head plumes and white thigh-patch. Nonbreeding is more blackish brown, and lacks white head plumes and thigh patch.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant through major waterways and lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan, mainly western parts. Landing in the region during cloudy/harsh weather, at lakes, marshes, rivers and streams with vegetation up to 3500m, avoiding turbulent waters.

Behavior:

Feeds mainly by pursuit diving, with evidence that depths attained are related to ambient light intensity, deeper diving occurring under brighter light conditions. Mainly feeds on small and medium sized fish, also consumes some worms, molluscs, crustaceans and amphibians.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Great Cormorant in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Great Cormorant

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.