Photo: Lip Kee / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Flightless Cormorant
Nannopterum harrisi
Flightless Cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of South America.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Flightless Cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
- Genus Nannopterum
- Species harrisi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Flightless 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 Flightless Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Flightless Cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi) is a species of bird in the Phalacrocoracidae family, part of the order Suliformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Fernandina and Isabela is. (w Galápagos).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3 kg, with a wing length of about 18.9 cm and a tail of around 15.4 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 91 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Flightless Cormorant?
The Flightless Cormorant is a very large bird that weighs around 3 kg.
Where does the Flightless Cormorant live?
The Flightless Cormorant is found across South America with a range covering SA Fernandina and Isabela is. (w Galápagos), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Flightless Cormorant belong to?
The Flightless Cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Flightless Cormorant eat?
The Flightless Cormorant hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Flightless Cormorant migrate?
The Flightless Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Flightless Cormorant endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Flightless Cormorant make?
1 real field recording of the Flightless 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 Flightless Cormorant's range?
The Flightless Cormorant has a mapped global range of about 91 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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