Birds · Suliformes · Phalacrocoracidae

Long-tailed Cormorant

Microcarbo africanus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The reed cormorant, or long-tailed cormorant, is the smallest cormorant in Africa, black with a long tail and a short yellowish bill. Unlike its larger relatives it prefers shallow fresh water with vegetation, and often fishes among the papyrus and reeds rather than in open water. It is common in almost every wetland on the continent.

Weight

400 g – 700 g

Size

50 cm – 55 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanFreshwaterCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Freshwater

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Fun facts

It is the smallest cormorant in Africa and the one most tied to vegetated fresh water: it fishes among the papyrus and reeds rather than in open water, a niche its larger relatives do not occupy.
It breeds in mixed colonies with herons, night herons and spoonbills, taking advantage of the collective watch against raptors.
Its long tail and its low, direct flight over the water give it a silhouette closer to a darter's than to a large cormorant's.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Lakes, rivers, reservoirs, marshes and estuaries of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 24 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/