Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius (J.F. Gmelin, 1789))
Scientific name: Phalacrocorax varius (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)
Common name: Australian Pied Cormorant
Other names: Pied Cormorant, Pied Shag, Great Pied Cormorant.
French name: Cormoran varié
Order: Suliformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Size: Body size: 65 to 85 cm; Weight: 1.3 to 2.2 kg; Wingspan: 110 to 130 cm.
Habitat: Coastal areas, estuaries, bays and ports.
Food: Mainly fish supplemented by a few molluscs and crustaceans caught by diving underwater.
Nesting: The Australian Pied Cormorant nests in colonies of varying size, between 10 and 1000 birds. Nests are generally located in trees or bushes but also sometimes on the ground. There are usually 2 to 5 eggs per clutch.
Migration: Sedentary, however the dispersal of the young can take place over long distances.
Geographic area: Australia except desert areas, New Zealand.
Adult Australian Pied Cormorants are essentially black above and white below: black from the top of the head, to the nape of the neck, on the back and wings and to the tail, contrasting with the white face, throat and sides of the neck , chest and belly.
They have black legs and a grey bill with pinkish skin at its base.
The eyes are green with a blue eye ring and the skin is yellow ahead of the eye.
These colours are very bright in breeding plumage but become duller outside the breeding season.
On juveniles, brown replaces black and mottled white replaces pure white.

Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) - Akaroa, South Island, New Zealand - December 15th 2018
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Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)
I observed this Cormorant at Robinsons Bay not far from Akaroa. We are in the crater of an ancient volcano and we hiked on the small Onawe peninsula located in the bay.


Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) - Picton, South Island, New Zealand - January 2nd 2019
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Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)
We observed these Australian Pied Cormorants in the port of Picton while waiting for the boat which will take us to the North Island.


Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) - Picton, South Island, New Zealand - January 2nd 2019
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Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)
I don't know what this posture is about. Did this Cormorant just swallow a prey?


Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) - Waikanae, North Island, New Zealand - January 5th 2019
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Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)
Juveniles in the nest.


Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) - Waikanae, North Island, New Zealand - January 5th 2019
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Australian Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)
Other juveniles seen near the small colony.

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