114. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

The Great Cormorant is a very widespread species, being found on all the continents except for South America and Antarctica. In the UK it breeds around the coast on cliffs and sometimes in trees near the sea or lakes, and outside the breeding season it disperses to water bodies across the UK. It eats mostly fish which it is well-adapted to catch - its lack of waterproofing means it is less buoyant so can dive deeper, but it has to spread its wings out to dry once back on land in its characteristic and familiar pose.

Great Cormorant, ©omarrun, via Flickr Creative Commons.

Great Cormorant sketch.

Cormorants make great portrait subjects, I think they are very expressive!