Long-tailed cormorant
The long-tailed cormorant, also known as the reed cormorant, is a fishing bird native to Africa and is part of the Phalacrocoracidae family. Measuring approximately 20 to 22 inches (50 to 55 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 31 to 35 inches (80 to 90 cm), these birds are adept at diving underwater to catch various prey, including fish, frogs, and crustaceans. Their unique feather structure allows them to dive efficiently, as their feathers absorb water rather than repel it.
Long-tailed cormorants prefer freshwater habitats such as lakes, rivers, and marshes, where they build nests out of twigs and vegetation, typically several feet above the water on submerged trees. Breeding occurs in colonies, and both parents share incubation duties for one to six eggs. The chicks, born naked and blind, are fed partially digested fish by their parents until they can forage independently within five to seven weeks.
These birds are generally quiet but may produce a range of sounds, and while they face predation from raptors like eagles, their population is not currently threatened. With a lifespan of up to 18 years, the long-tailed cormorant showcases remarkable adaptations for a life spent in and around water, contributing to their longstanding relationship with human fishing practices in various cultures.
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Long-tailed cormorant
Long-tailed cormorants are a species of fishing birds which live in Africa and are similar to their relative species in Japan and China. They are noted for their ability to dive underwater and catch fish in their bills. Long-tailed cormorants may also be called reed cormorants.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Genus: Microcarbo
Species: Africanus
Long-tailed cormorants belong to a family of aquatic birds which have had a long history as fishing birds. Not only do they catch their own fish, but the Chinese and Japanese have also used species in the cormorant family for centuries to catch fish for themselves. These birds are skillful swimmers and divers. The fishermen placed rings around the birds' necks and released them from boats to dive and catch fish. The rings kept the birds from swallowing the fish so that the fishermen could retrieve the fish. When the cormorants had earned their keep, the fishermen gave them fish to eat as a reward.
Long-tailed cormorants are around 20 to 22 inches (50 to 55 centimeters) long and weigh between one and 1 1/2 pounds (435 to 65 grams). The long, dark-colored tails for which they are named are five to six inches (13 to 15 centimeters) long. The birds' plumage is mostly dark, and its wings are brown and black. Long-tailed cormorants have a wingspan of 31 to 35 inches (80 to 90 centimeters).
The freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and lagoons are the chief habitats of single long-tailed cormorants or small groups of them. They also live in mangrove creeks and the coastal bays and estuaries. They are sometimes called reed cormorants because they nest in freshwater marshes where nest-building materials are abundant. They may either be perching above the water or be swimming low in the water before they dive smoothly and silently below the surface in search of food. Unlike some birds with waterproof feathers, cormorants' feathers absorb water so that they can easily dive and stay underwater for long periods.
The long-tailed cormorant is a carnivore, or meat eater. Fish, frogs, water insects, freshwater shrimp, and other crustaceans all find their way into the long, hooked, sharp bills of these birds. The birds' webbed feet propel them quickly through the water, and the many blood vessels in their bodies provide oxygen for long dives. A large pouch on the underside of each cormorant's bill helps it to position its food so it can swallow the meal headfirst. Small birds may also become a meal. Cormorants prefer to feed in the early morning and evening.
After diving, the cormorants perch in the sun with their wings spread to let them dry. This also warms the birds from their cold dives or cools them when they are too hot. They also fan and flutter the pouches underneath their bills to lower their body temperatures if their body temperatures are too high.
When it is three to four years old, the young cormorant may mate for the first time. Breeding may occur at different times during the year but usually between October and April. It takes place within colonies. The couple builds a nest platform of twigs and vegetation on a partly submerged tree several feet (a couple meters) above the water. The nest is about 10 inches (25 centimeters) across and about two inches (five centimeters) deep. Neighbors may nest close to each other or several feet (a couple meters) away. A female lays one to six chalky white eggs in the nest and shares the task of incubating them with the male. After 23 to 25 days, the chicks hatch from their shells naked and blind. Their first meals are partly digested fish, which the parents drop into their gaping bills. As they grow, however, the chicks retrieve food from their parents' throats themselves. Five to seven weeks after hatching, the young are independent.
Long-tailed cormorants are usually quiet, but they may laugh, hiss, or cackle.
Raptors such as eagles and osprey may prey on the long-tailed cormorant. The life span of these birds is up to 18 years. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Long-Tailed Cormorant - Microcarbo Africanus.” Birds of the World, 2024, birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/lotcor1/cur/introduction. Accessed 11 May 2024.
“Reed Cormorant - Facts, Diet, Habitat, & Pictures on Animalia.bio.” Animalia, 2024, animalia.bio/reed-cormorant?taxonomy=126. Accessed 11 May 2024.