Indian Cormorant
Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderSuliformes (Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies)
- FamilyPhalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
- GenusPhalacrocorax (Typical Old World Cormorants)
- SpeciesPhalacrocorax fuscicollis (Indian Cormorant)
About the Indian Cormorant
The Indian cormorant or Indian shag (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis) is a member of the cormorant family. It is found mainly along the inland waters of the Indian subcontinent but extends west to Sind and east to Thailand and Cambodia. It is a gregarious species that can be easily distinguished from the similar sized little cormorant by its blue eyes, small head with a sloping forehead and a long narrow bill ending in a hooked tip.
The Indian cormorant was formally described in 1826 by English naturalist James Francis Stephens and given the current binomial name Phalacrocorax fuscicollis. The specific epithet combines the Latin fuscus meaning "dusky" or "brown" with the Modern Latin -collis meaning "-necked". The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2019 found that the Indian cormorant was sister to the little black cormorant. It is estimated that the two species split 2.5–3.2 million years ago during the late Pliocene. This medium-sized bronze brown cormorant is scalloped in black on the upper plumage, lacks a crest and has a small and slightly peaked head with a long narrow bill that ends in a hooked... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Indian Cormorant in Minneriya National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Minneriya National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Yala National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 3 | Wilpattu National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 4 | Minneriya National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 5 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Satpura National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Gir National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 11 | Bandhavgarh National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 12 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 13 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 14 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 15 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 16 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 17 | Jim Corbett National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 18 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 19 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Indian Cormorant in Minneriya National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Indian Cormorant sighting in Minneriya National Park, based on 60 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Indian Cormorant in Minneriya National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Indian Cormorant in Minneriya National Park in our monthly data.