Neotropic Cormorant
A versatile diving bird found from Pacific harbors to Amazon rivers, often drying its wings on the nearest exposed perch.
Artwork inspired by Pedro Weingärtner
Neotropic Cormorants are slimmer and longer-tailed than the heavy guano cormorants of Peru’s coast. They pursue fish underwater using their feet, then perch with wings spread to dry and regulate temperature.
On the coast, compare the smaller body and longer tail with Guanay Cormorants; inland, a line of low-flying birds often leads to a communal roost. Year-round; fishes throughout daylight.
- Best clue
- Small slender cormorant with a long tail and hooked bill
- Habitat
- coastal bays, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and fishing harbors
- Typical timing
- Year-round; fishes throughout daylight
Quick guide
- Look
- Long narrow tail
- Confirm
- Hooked bill
Observe Neotropic Cormorant on its terms
- First impression
- Begin with small slender cormorant with a long tail and hooked bill when identifying Neotropic Cormorant.
- Confirm in detail
- Look for wing-drying posture together with hooked bill before accepting the identification.
- Where to expect it
- Coastal bays, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and fishing harbors; year-round; fishes throughout daylight.
- Compare before approaching
- Use the long tail, smaller body, hooked bill.
Good to know
They pursue fish underwater using their feet, then perch with wings spread to dry and regulate temperature.
Notice these
- Long narrow tail
- Hooked bill
- Wing-drying posture
- Low direct flight