Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Reed Cormorant

Microcarbo africanus (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

545 gWeight

The reed cormorant (Microcarbo africanus), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda

Reed Cormorant has been recorded at 548 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 48 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Strandfontein WTPSouth Africa1,523 records
  2. Nairobi NPKenya1,495 records
  3. Entebbe Botanical GardenUganda1,331 records
More places
  1. Mabamba SwampUganda1,051 records
  2. Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa981 records
  3. Rietvlei NRSouth Africa961 records
  4. Lake Nakuru NPKenya799 records
  5. Rondevlei NRSouth Africa719 records
  6. Lake NaivashaKenya615 records
  7. Chobe River – boat tripBotswana569 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaUgandaBotswanaNamibiaTanzaniaSenegalGambia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The reed cormorant (Microcarbo africanus), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Reed Cormorant?

The Reed Cormorant weighs around 545 g.

Where does the Reed Cormorant live?

Its breeding range: Africa: mainly inland; widespread Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the Reed Cormorant?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Reed Cormorant endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Reed Cormorant as Least Concern.

What does the Reed Cormorant eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Reed Cormorant in?

It belongs to the family Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae), order Suliformes.

At a glance

Weight
545 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
On the water surface
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
199 mm
Tail
143 mm
Bill
36 mm
Tarsus
35 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: mainly inland; widespread Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Cormorants, Shags Phalacrocoracidae
Genus
Microcarbo

Other birds in the genus Microcarbo

Pygmy CormorantPygmy CormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeusCrowned CormorantCrowned CormorantMicrocarbo coronatusLittle CormorantLittle CormorantMicrocarbo nigerLittle Pied CormorantLittle Pied CormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucosRed-legged CormorantRed-legged CormorantPoikilocarbo gaimardiBrandt's CormorantBrandt's CormorantUrile penicillatusRed-faced CormorantRed-faced CormorantUrile urilePelagic CormorantPelagic CormorantUrile pelagicusBank CormorantBank CormorantPhalacrocorax neglectusSocotra CormorantSocotra CormorantPhalacrocorax nigrogularis
Reed Cormorant

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Lawrence Boatwright. ↗

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