Pied Cormorant

1. Long pale grey bill with a distinctive hook and vertical barring on the sides

2. Black "trousers" on thighs that distinguish it from the similar Little Pied Cormorant

3. Bright facial skin with blue eye ring and orange-yellow patches around the bill

Pied Cormorants are expert fishers that dive completely underwater, propelling themselves with large webbed feet and steering with half-opened wings. They breed in colonies, building bulky stick nests in trees or occasionally on the ground. Both parents share nest-building, incubation of typically three eggs, and feeding duties for their chicks, which remain dependent on parents for several months.

Look for Pied Cormorants along sheltered coastal waters, including bays, harbors, and estuaries throughout mainland Australia. They're particularly common in southern regions and along southwestern coastlines. In eastern Australia, they also frequent large inland wetlands and reservoirs. The best viewing times are during morning and late afternoon when they actively fish. Watch for their low swimming posture with just the neck and head visible above water, or spot them perched on posts, rocks, or branches near water with wings outstretched to dry.

The Pied Cormorant is native to Australia and holds significance in various Indigenous Australian cultures. In some Aboriginal stories, cormorants feature in Dreamtime narratives related to fishing and water management. They were often observed by Indigenous peoples for their fishing techniques and behavior around waterways.