The reed cormorant, also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar
Typical Environment
Occupies a wide range of freshwater habitats including lakes, slow-flowing rivers, marshes, swamps, floodplains, and reservoirs. It also uses sheltered coastal lagoons, estuaries, and mangroves where salinity is low to moderate. The species favors areas with emergent vegetation such as reeds for perching and nesting. It is generally resident but undertakes local seasonal movements following water levels and prey availability.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the long-tailed cormorant, it is one of Africa’s smallest cormorants and often perches on reeds and low branches over water. It hunts underwater by pursuit diving and is frequently seen spreading its wings to dry after foraging. The species nests colonially, sometimes alongside herons and ibises, building stick nests over water or in dense reedbeds.
drying wingsLake Baringo, Kenya
Temperament
social and wary near humans
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, flies low over water
Social Behavior
Often seen singly or in small groups while foraging, but nests in loose to large colonies, sometimes mixed with other waterbirds. Pairs build platform nests of sticks or reeds over water in trees, bushes, or dense reedbeds. Adults frequently engage in wing-drying postures after dives.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Usually quiet away from breeding sites. At colonies it gives low croaks, grunts, and guttural calls during pair bonding and territorial interactions.
Plumage
Sleek, mostly black plumage with a greenish sheen and a slightly browner neck; fine whitish flecks appear on head and neck in breeding plumage. The tail is notably long for a cormorant, and the throat is paler. Bare facial skin can show orange to reddish tones around the gape.
Diet
Primarily piscivorous, taking small fish captured by underwater pursuit dives. It will also consume aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, and occasionally small crustaceans when fish are scarce. Prey is swallowed head-first at the surface after short, repeated dives. Foraging is often solitary but small groups may exploit schooling fish.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along vegetated shorelines, among reedbeds, and over shallow shelves of lakes and slow rivers. It also works the edges of marshes, floodplains, and quiet backwaters, and may use tidal creeks in estuaries during low salinity conditions.
