Into The world of the Little Cormorant [Microcarbo niger]

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family	Genus	Species
Animalia	Chordata	Aves	Suliformes	Phalacrocoracidae	Microcarbo	niger

Little Cormorant

A family of seabirds, the cormorant (Microcarbo niger) is home to the Little Cormorant. Its shorter beak and lack of a peaked head set it apart from the slightly larger Indian cormorant. Its habitat extends eastward to Java, where it is often called the Javanese cormorant,

and it is extensively scattered throughout the Indian Subcontinent. They are frequently seen foraging in a variety of lowland freshwater habitats, such as tiny ponds, big lakes, streams, and occasionally coastal estuaries,

either alone or in loose groups. Like other cormorants, it frequently emerges from the water and perches with its wings outstretched on rocks near the water. Its plumage takes on a brownish color and a little whitish patch forms on the throat during the non-breeding season,

while the bird’s entire body turns black during breeding season. These birds breed in social flocks; they frequently build their nests in trees and congregate at heronries with other waterbirds.

Summary

• Species Name Microcarbo niger
• Size: Slightly smaller than the Indian cormorant.
• Physical Characteristics: has a shorter beak and no peak on its head.
• Distribution: widely dispersed throughout Java and the Indian Subcontinent.
• Foraging: Forages in lowland freshwater bodies, such as lakes, streams, ponds, and coastal estuaries, either alone or in loose groups.
• Behavior: Frequently observed with its wings outstretched after emerging from the water, perched atop rocks by the lake.
• Breeding Season: Throughout the breeding season, the entire body turns black.
• Non-Breeding Season: There is a little white patch on the throat and dark plumage..
• Breeding Habits: gregariously breeds in trees, occasionally congregating in heronries with other waterbirds.

Physical Characteristics

Description

Characteristic	Description
Length	Approximately 50 centimeters (20 in)
Size Comparison	Slightly smaller than the Indian cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)
Indian Cormorant Features	Narrower and longer bill with a prominent hook tip, blue iris, and a more pointed head profile
Breeding Adult Plumage	Glistening all-black plumage with white spots and filoplumes on the face; short crest on the back of the head; dark eyes, gular skin, and face
Non-Breeding or Juvenile Plumage	Brownish plumage; bill and gular skin may appear more fleshy; inconspicuous crest; small, well-marked white patch on the throat sometimes visible
Range	Widely distributed; towards the west of the Indus River valley, its range can overlap with vagrant pygmy cormorants (Microcarbo pygmaeus), potentially difficult to differentiate in the field
Sexual Dimorphism	Indistinguishable in the field; males tend to be larger
Abnormal Plumages	Some abnormal silvery-grey plumages have been described
Taxonomic History	Species described by Vieillot in 1817 as Hydrocorax niger; later included with other cormorants in the genus Phalacrocorax; some studies place the smaller “microcormorants” under the genus Microcarbo
Genus Meaning	Hydrocorax literally means water crow
Classification Adjustment	Originally described as Hydrocorax, later included in Phalacrocorax; some studies suggest placement under the genus Microcarbo

Distribution

The Indian subcontinent, which includes lowland Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India, is home to the Microcarbo niger. Its range also includes portions of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia in Southeast Asia.

Vagrants are rare in the Himalayas but have been reported on occasion in Ladakh. This versatile bird is often found in a wide range of wetland environments, from large lakes to little town ponds, and it also occasionally lives in coastal estuaries.

The Microcarbo niger habitat preference exhibits exceptional adaptability, which helps explain its distribution throughout a wide range of geographical regions.

Behaviour

Foraging Behavior:

• Usually hunt alone or in tiny, loose groups.
• Capture prey underwater, primarily fish.
• Fish measuring between 2 and 8 centimeters in length are frequently caught at depths of less than one meter.
• propels with webbed feet underwater.

Feeding Dynamics:

• Bring landed fish up to the surface so they can be eaten.
• Possibility of competition for prey from other birds such as egrets, painted storks, gulls, and small cormorants.
• Indian cormorants frequently fish in bigger flocks together.

Wing-Drying Behavior:

• Step out of the water, stretch your wings, and stay still.
• Although the purpose of wing-drying behavior is unclear, it may help in wing drying.
• The amount of time spent underwater and the duration of wing-spreading are inversely correlated with air temperature and dryness.

Breeding Season:

• Different regions have different breeding seasons: November to February in southern India, December to May in Sri Lanka, July to September in Pakistan and northern India, and May to October in Bangladesh.
• Males perform wing flutter displays and courting feeding at the nest site.
• Building stick platforms atop trees or coconut palms is a joint hobby of both parents.
• Colonies of tiny egrets and Indian pond herons may be the site of nesting.

Reproductive Cycle:

• The size of a clutch can vary from two to six eggs, which are laid every two days.
• The first egg is laid to start the process of incubation, which results in asynchronous hatching.
• Babies have naked red heads and are fluffy.
• It takes the chicks about a month to leave the nest.

Parasitism:

• Pectinopygus makundi, parasitic bird lice, was found in Microcarbo niger.
• Endoparasitic helminths have been reported in birds from Sri Lanka and India, including Hymenolepis childi, Dilepis lepidocolpos, Neocotylotretus udaipurensis, and Syncuaria buckleyi.

Species in same Genus

Species Common Name	Scientific Name
Little Pied Cormorant	Microcarbo melanoleucos
Pygmy Cormorant	Microcarbo pygmaeus
Indian Cormorant	Microcarbo fuscicollis
Great Cormorant	Microcarbo carbo
Japanese Cormorant	Microcarbo capillatus
Reed Cormorant	Microcarbo africanus
Long-tailed Cormorant	Microcarbo africanus brevicaudus
Javanese Cormorant	Microcarbo javanicus
Macquarie Shag	Microcarbo nivalis

become noisy during the breeding season?

They communicate loudly in the neighborhood of their roosting and nesting locations, particularly in the breeding season. These birds have characteristic low roars that provide an audible background to their mating calls. They also make distinctive vocalizations that sound like low-pitched

grunts and groans, such as “kok-kok-kok” and “ah-ah-ah” cries. These distinct vocal cues probably have a major function in intraspecies communication, acting as a means of attracting mates, indicating territory, or spreading particular information among the colony members.

Fun facts

Not only is the Little Cormorant a visually appealing bird, but it’s also fascinating to watch or study. Their antics are really entertaining.

Indian cormorant vs little cormorant

Characteristic	Indian Cormorant	Little Cormorant
Size	Larger (55-58 cm)	Smaller (about 50 cm)
Bill Shape	Longer, hooked tip	Shorter, straighter
Head Profile	Peaked	Rounded
Plumage (Breeding)	Black with white spots	Entire body turns black
Plumage (Non-Breeding)	Brownish with throat patch	Brownish with small throat patch
Foraging Behavior	Communal fishing in groups	Solitary or small groups
Habitat	Various, including coastal	Widely distributed in ponds, lakes
Nesting Behavior	Colonies with other birds	Gregarious, often in trees
Distribution	Widespread across Asia	Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia
Scientific Classification	Genus: Phalacrocorax	Genus: Microcarbo

Threats

• Foraging and breeding grounds are impacted by habitat loss and deterioration due to pollution, draining, and conversion.
• The availability and quality of prey are impacted by water pollution, which includes industrial discharge and runoff from agriculture.
• Stress and disturbances to breeding occur as a result of human disturbance from activities like as boating and recreation close to nests.
• Fish populations are reduced by overfishing, which puts human and other bird species in conflict.
• Breeding success is impacted by how climate change affects nesting site stability and the availability of prey.
• Fish can bioaccumulate poisons as a result of pollutants and pesticides in water bodies.
• Colonies are under risk from disturbances caused by forestry, tourism, and exotic species at nesting sites.
• Invasive species can compete for resources and disturb ecosystems.
• Their survival depends on conservation initiatives, such as pollution reduction and habitat restoration.

Lifespan

Microcarbo niger can live for a variety of lengths of time, although in the wild, they typically live between six and ten years.

Are social?

With other seabirds, these blackbirds get along well and are not hostile. Large groups of them typically forage together and fish together.

Common Names in Different Languages

Language	Common Name
English	Little Cormorant
Spanish	Cormorán Enano
French	Cormoran Pygmée
German	Zwergscharbe
Italian	Cormorano Nano
Portuguese	Corvo-marinho-pequeno
Dutch	Dwergaalscholver
Russian	Малая баклань (Malaya baklan)
Chinese (Mandarin)	小鸬鹚 (Xiǎo lú cí)
Japanese	コハウ (Kohau)
Hindi	छोटा कॉर्मोरेंट (Chhota Cormorant)
Urdu	چھوٹا کورمورینٹ (Chhota Cormorant)

FAQs

1. What is the Little Cormorant’s scientific name?
   • The scientific name is Microcarbo niger.
2. Where can be found?
   • The Indian Subcontinent, which includes Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia, is home to a large population of little cormorants.
3. How do they catch their prey?
   • Microcarbo niger hunt mostly fish while swimming underwater. They move by using their webbed feet.
4. What is the breeding season of the Microcarbo niger?
   • Every region has a different breeding season. It falls between July and September in Pakistan and northern India, between November and February in southern India, and between December and May in Sri Lanka.
5. Do they build nests?
   • They do indeed construct nests. They often build their stick nests in colonies with other waterbirds, resembling platforms.
6. Are Microcarbo niger vocal?
   • They do speak, that much is true. Around their nests and roosts, they make a variety of noises, such as low roaring noises, grunts, groans, and distinctive calls.
7. What threats do they face?
   • Threats to them include loss of habitat, pollution, disturbances by humans, overfishing, climate change, and possible competition from other bird species.
8. How long do Microcarbo niger live?
   • They typically live between six and ten years in the wild.
9. Do they migrate?
   • Microcarbo niger are sedentary birds in general, but their travel patterns might change depending on the environment and the availability of food in the area.
10. Are there any conservation efforts for Microcarbo niger?
    • Their habitats may be safeguarded, environmental problems may be resolved, and sustainable fisheries management may be promoted as part of conservation initiatives. These kinds of projects are frequently undertaken by regional environmental and ornithological associations.