Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-faced Cormorant
Phalacrocorax fuscescens
Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1.5 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 fuscescens
Where it lives
Coasts of southern WA to southeastern NSW, Bass Strait is. and Tasmania (southern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.5 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-faced Cormorant hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Black-faced Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens) is a species of bird in the Phalacrocoracidae family, part of the order Suliformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU coasts of s WA to se NSW, Bass Strait is. and Tasmania (s Australia).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.5 kg, with a wing length of about 26.4 cm and a tail of around 10.2 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 203,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-faced Cormorant?
The Black-faced Cormorant is a very large bird that weighs around 1.5 kg.
Where does the Black-faced Cormorant live?
The Black-faced Cormorant is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU coasts of s WA to se NSW, Bass Strait is. and Tasmania (s Australia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Black-faced Cormorant belong to?
The Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Black-faced Cormorant eat?
The Black-faced Cormorant hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Black-faced Cormorant migrate?
The Black-faced Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-faced 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.
What sound does the Black-faced Cormorant make?
1 real field recording of the Black-faced Cormorant — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-faced Cormorant's range?
The Black-faced Cormorant has a mapped global range of about 203,000 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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