Cormorant

Lore & Background

The name 'cormorant' likely derives from Latin 'corvus marinus', meaning 'sea raven', reflecting a historical mistaken belief that they were related to ravens. The terms 'cormorant' and 'shag' were originally applied to the two British and Irish species, with 'shag' referring to the bird's crest. As explorers encountered other species, the names were assigned haphazardly, sometimes varying by region; for example, all species in New Zealand are called shags, even those known as cormorants elsewhere.

Reader's Guide

Cormorants and shags are significant as widespread, adaptable fish-eating birds that inhabit coastal and inland waters globally, except for the central Pacific islands. Their unique adaptations include webbing between all four toes, a long hooked bill, and relatively short wings that enable efficient underwater propulsion but result in high flight costs. Cormorants are colonial nesters on seacoasts, trees, islets, or cliffs, and their eggs are chalky-blue. The spread-wing posture often seen after fishing is widely believed to aid in drying plumage, though other functions have been suggested. Their evolutionary history may trace back to a freshwater ancestor in south Asia.

Did You Know?

• The great cormorant and common shag are the only two species of the family commonly encountered in Britain and Ireland.
• Cormorants have webbing between all four toes, a feature shared with their relatives.
• The name 'cormorant' is a contraction probably derived from Latin 'corvus marinus', meaning 'sea raven'.