Photo: Tony Wills / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Australian Pied Cormorant
Phalacrocorax varius
Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1.9 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
- Genus Phalacrocorax
- Species varius
Where it lives
Coastal and inland Australia and North, South and Stewart is. (New Zealand)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.9 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Australian Pied Cormorant hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of coastal habitats, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Australian Pied Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family of the order Suliformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU coastal and inland Australia and North, South and Stewart is. (New Zealand).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.9 kg, with a wing length of about 29.5 cm and a tail of around 13.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.4 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Australian Pied Cormorant?
The Australian Pied Cormorant is a very large bird that weighs around 1.9 kg.
Where does the Australian Pied Cormorant live?
The Australian Pied Cormorant is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU coastal and inland Australia and North, South and Stewart is. (New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Australian Pied Cormorant belong to?
The Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Australian Pied Cormorant eat?
The Australian Pied Cormorant hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Australian Pied Cormorant migrate?
The Australian Pied Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Australian Pied Cormorant endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Australian Pied Cormorant's range?
The Australian Pied Cormorant has a mapped global range of about 4.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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