Great Cormorant

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Great Cormorant in New York City?

Rare. Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Great Cormorant sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 1,817 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 186th most-seen of the 359 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Great Cormorant in New York City?

Any time of year. In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Great Cormorant in New York City on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Great Cormorant?

Between 10 am and 1 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Great Cormorant sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is New York City the best place to see a Great Cormorant?

173rd of 187. Of the 187 cities where we can rate Great Cormorant sightings, New York City ranks 173rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Dakar (Senegal, about 70%), Tokyo (Japan, about 70%) and Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 60%).

Q: Where does the Great Cormorant sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Great Cormorant is recorded against all the birds logged in New York City (1,817 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Phalacrocorax carbo

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderSuliformes (Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies)
FamilyPhalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
GenusPhalacrocorax (Typical Old World Cormorants)
SpeciesPhalacrocorax carbo (Great Cormorant)

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

at New York City

In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%

1,817 Verified sightings at New York City

34,125 In all 100 parks From 2019 to 2026

February Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Great Cormorant

The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), also known as just cormorant in Britain, as black shag or kawau in New Zealand, formerly also known as the great black cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the black cormorant in Australia, and the large cormorant in India, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It breeds in much of the Old World, Australasia, and the Atlantic coast of North America.

The great cormorant was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Pelecanus carbo. Linnaeus specified the type location as "Europe", but this was restricted to the "rock-nesting form of the north Atlantic Ocean" by the German ornithologist Ernst Hartert in 1920. The great cormorant is now one of 12 species placed in the genus Phalacrocorax that was introduced in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson. The genus name is Latinised Ancient Greek, from φαλακρός (phalakros, "bald") and κόραξ (korax, "raven"); the specific epithet carbo is Latin for "charcoal".

Six subspecies are accepted. These are listed below with their breeding ranges... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:33

France · 2025

Sonothèque ADVL · XC1059525 · CC0

Begging call0:46

Spain · 2024

Flight call0:07

Estonia · 2023

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 47 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~70%
2	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~60%
3	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~60%
4	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~60%
5	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	~50%
6	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~50%
7	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~50%
8	De Hoop Nature Reserve	🇿🇦 South Africa	~50%
9	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~50%
10	West Coast National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
11	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	~40%
12	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
13	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
14	uMkhuze Game Reserve	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
15	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~30%
16	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~30%
17	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~30%
18	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~30%
19	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~30%
20	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~30%
21	Nikko National Park	🇯🇵 Japan	~30%
22	Maria Island National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~30%
23	Freycinet National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~30%
24	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
25	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~30%
26	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
27	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~30%
28	Fiordland National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	~30%
29	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
30	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~30%
31	Hattah-Kulkyne National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~20%
32	Great Otway National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~20%
33	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~20%
34	Booderee National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~20%
35	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
36	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
37	Triglav National Park	🇸🇮 Slovenia	~20%
38	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~20%
39	Royal National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~20%
40	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
41	Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~20%
42	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~20%
43	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
44	Udawalawe National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~20%
45	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	~20%
46	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
47	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
48	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~10%
49	Kosciuszko National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
50	Plitvice Lakes National Park	🇭🇷 Croatia	~10%
51	Wilsons Promontory National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
52	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
53	Arthur's Pass National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	~10%
54	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
55	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
56	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
57	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~10%
58	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
59	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
60	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~10%
61	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~10%
62	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
63	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
64	Abel Tasman National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	~10%
65	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
66	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	~10%
67	Egmont National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	~10%
68	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	~10%
69	Flinders Chase	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
70	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
71	Noosa National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
72	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
73	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
74	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
75	Grampians National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
76	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
77	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	<5%
78	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
79	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
80	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
81	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
82	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
83	Rottnest Island	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
84	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
85	Blue Mountains National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
86	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	<5%
87	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
88	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
89	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
90	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
91	Cairngorms National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	<5%
92	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
93	Springbrook National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
94	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
95	Rakiura National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	<5%
96	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
97	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
98	Lamington National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
99	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
100	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Dakar	🇸🇳 Senegal	~70%
2	Tokyo	🇯🇵 Japan	~70%
3	Liverpool	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	~60%
4	Nagoya	🇯🇵 Japan	~60%
5	Osaka	🇯🇵 Japan	~60%
6	Turin	🇮🇹 Italy	~60%
7	Fukuoka	🇯🇵 Japan	~60%
8	Hiroshima	🇯🇵 Japan	~60%
9	Rotterdam [The Hague]	🇳🇱 Netherlands	~50%
10	Copenhagen	🇩🇰 Denmark	~50%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
2	Chimelong Spaceship	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
3	San Diego Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Moscow Zoo	🇷🇺 Russia	In captivity
5	Skansen	🇸🇪 Sweden	In captivity
6	Australia Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
7	Zoo Pilsen	🇨🇿 Czechia	In captivity
8	Walsrode World Bird Park	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
9	San Diego Zoo Safari Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
10	Toronto Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
11	Khao Kheow Open Zoo	🇹🇭 Thailand	In captivity
12	Parc animalier de Sainte-Croix	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
13	Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
14	The Maryland Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
15	Silesian Zoological Garden	🇵🇱 Poland	In captivity
16	Audubon Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
17	Kyiv Zoo	🇺🇦 Ukraine	In captivity
18	Berlin Zoological Garden	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
19	Wilhelma	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
20	碧峰峡野生动物世界	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
21	Opel-Zoo	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
22	Schönbrunn Zoo	🇦🇹 Austria	In captivity
23	Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden	🇭🇺 Hungary	In captivity
24	Kharkiv Zoo	🇺🇦 Ukraine	In captivity
25	Royev Ruchey Zoo	🇷🇺 Russia	In captivity
26	Rivne Zoo	🇺🇦 Ukraine	In captivity
27	Racine Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
28	L'Oceanogràfic	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity
29	Leningrad Zoo	🇷🇺 Russia	In captivity
30	Zoo di Pistoia	🇮🇹 Italy	In captivity
31	Odesa Zoo	🇺🇦 Ukraine	In captivity
32	Las Águilas Jungle Park	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity
33	AQUA Akvarium & Dyrepark	🇩🇰 Denmark	In captivity
34	World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
35	NaturOparc (Centre de réintroduction des cigognes et des loutres)	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
36	Zoo Lagos	🇵🇹 Portugal	In captivity
37	Selwo Marina	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity
38	Ecomare	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
39	Oceanium	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
40	Aquarium Berlin	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
41	Kharkiv Dolphinarium	🇺🇦 Ukraine	In captivity
42	vzw Opvangcentrum voor Vogels en Wilde dieren	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
43	Baltic Sea Science Center	🇸🇪 Sweden	In captivity
44	Château of Thoiry	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
45	Birding center in Eilat	🇮🇱 Israel	In captivity
46	Lake Tisza Ecocentre	🇭🇺 Hungary	In captivity
47	Ogród Zoologiczny w Katowicach	🇵🇱 Poland	In captivity

Show all 47 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at New York City

Phalacrocorax auritus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Morus bassanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anhinga anhinga

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sula leucogaster

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Turdus migratorius

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Passer domesticus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Cardinalis cardinalis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Zenaida macroura

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Sturnus vulgaris

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Cyanocitta cristata

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Great Cormorant in New York City?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Great Cormorant sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 1,817 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 186th most-seen of the 359 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Great Cormorant in New York City?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Great Cormorant in New York City on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Great Cormorant?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Great Cormorant sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is New York City the best place to see a Great Cormorant?

173rd of 187

Of the 187 cities where we can rate Great Cormorant sightings, New York City ranks 173rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Dakar (Senegal, about 70%), Tokyo (Japan, about 70%) and Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 60%).

Where does the Great Cormorant sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Great Cormorant is recorded against all the birds logged in New York City (1,817 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to New York City

Great Cormorant

About the Great Cormorant

Sounds

Recent sightings of Great Cormorant in New York City

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at New York City

Double-crested Cormorant

Bigua cormorant

Northern Gannet

Anhinga

Brown Booby

American Robin

House Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

Mourning Dove

European Starling

Blue Jay

Mallard

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Great Cormorant in New York City?

When is the best time to see a Great Cormorant in New York City?

What time of day is best to see a Great Cormorant?

Is New York City the best place to see a Great Cormorant?

Where does the Great Cormorant sighting chance come from?