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Cormorants, Shags

The Phalacrocoracidae family, commonly known as cormorants and shags, consists of around 40 aquatic bird species. They have a global distribution, with the great cormorant and the common shag being the most common species in Britain and Ireland. These birds possess dark plumage, long hook-tipped bills, and webbed feet, which contribute to their expert diving and underwater hunting abilities—sometimes reaching depths of 45 meters. Cormorants consume mostly fish and have high energy demands for flight due to their relatively short wings. They are social birds, nesting in colonies near shores, trees, and cliffs, and their ancestral origins point to freshwater habitats. The various species of cormorants and shags differ in size, plumage color, and facial skin coloration, and while there's no consistent distinction between the two, "cormorant" often refers to the larger species. The taxonomy of these birds has been debated, but in 2021 a consensus of seven genera was adopted by the international community. Finally, cormorant fishing—a tradition where cormorants catch fish and return them to fishermen—has been practiced for centuries in places like China, Japan, and Macedonia, although it is not as common now due to modern fishing methods. Cormorants also hold a significant place in human culture and symbolism, ranging from an emblem of greed in literature to avian representatives in heraldry and coats of arms.

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Categories

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Accentors
African & Green Broadbills
Albatrosses
Alcippe Fulvettas
Anhingas, Darters
Asian Barbets
Auks
Austral Storm Petrels
Australasian Babblers
Australasian Robins
Australasian Warblers
Australasian Wrens
Australo-Papuan Bellbirds
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Barn Owls
Bee-eaters
Birds-of-paradise
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Bristlehead
Bulbuls
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Bushtits
Bustards
Buttonquail
Caracaras, Falcons
Cassowaries, Emu
Cettia Bush Warblers & Allies
Chats, Old World Flycatchers
Cisticolas & Allies
Cockatoos

Cormorants, Shags

Coursers, Pratincoles
Crab-plover
Cranes
Crombecs, African Warblers
Crows, Jays
Cuckoos
Cuckooshrikes
Cupwings
Dippers
Drongos
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Elachura
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Flufftails
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Herons, Bitterns
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Honeyguides
Hoopoes
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Hylocitrea
Ibisbill
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Ifrit
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Jacanas
Jewel-babblers, Quail-thrushes
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Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Larks
Laughingthrushes & Allies
Leaf Warblers & Allies
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Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Magpie Goose
Megapodes
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Monarchs
Mottled Berryhunter
Nightjars
Northern Storm Petrels
Nuthatches
Old World Parrots
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
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Painted-snipes
Parrotbills & Allies
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Penduline Tits
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Ploughbill
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Reed Warblers & Allies
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Skuas
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Tits, Chickadees
Treecreepers
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Tropicbirds
Typical Broadbills
Vangas & Allies
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Wallcreeper
Waxbills, Munias & Allies
Waxwings
Weavers, Widowbirds
Whipbirds
Whistlers & Allies
White-eyes
Woodpeckers
Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
Wrens
Jayshrike
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Species Categories

AccentorsAfrican & Green BroadbillsAlbatrossesAlcippe FulvettasAnhingas, DartersAsian BarbetsAuksAustral Storm PetrelsAustralasian BabblersAustralasian RobinsAustralasian WarblersAustralasian WrensAustralo-Papuan BellbirdsBabblers, Scimitar BabblersBarn OwlsBee-eatersBirds-of-paradiseBoatbillsBristleheadBulbulsBuntingsBushtitsBustardsButtonquailCaracaras, FalconsCassowaries, EmuCettia Bush Warblers & AlliesChats, Old World FlycatchersCisticolas & AlliesCockatoosCormorants, ShagsCoursers, PratincolesCrab-ploverCranesCrombecs, African WarblersCrows, JaysCuckoosCuckooshrikesCupwingsDippersDrongosDucks, Geese, SwansElachuraFairy FlycatchersFairy-bluebirdsFantailsFigbirds, Orioles, TurnagraFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFlowerpeckersFlufftailsFrigatebirdsFrogmouthsGannets, BoobiesGoldcrests, KingletsGrassbirds & AlliesGrebesGround BabblersGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHoneyeatersHoneyguidesHoopoesHornbillsHylocitreaIbisbillIbises, SpoonbillsIfritIndigobirds, WhydahsIorasJacanasJewel-babblers, Quail-thrushesKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLaughingthrushes & AlliesLeaf Warblers & AlliesLeafbirdsLongspurs, Snow BuntingsMagpie GooseMegapodesMelampittasMonarchsMottled BerryhunterNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOld World ParrotsOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOspreysOwlsOystercatchersPainted-snipesParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPittasPloughbillPloversRail-babblerRails, Crakes & CootsReed Warblers & AlliesRollersSandpipers, SnipesShrikesSittellasSkuasStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbirdsSwallows, MartinsSwiftsSylviid BabblersThrushesTits, ChickadeesTreecreepersTreeswiftsTrogonsTropicbirdsTypical BroadbillsVangas & AlliesVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWallcreeperWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWeavers, WidowbirdsWhipbirdsWhistlers & AlliesWhite-eyesWoodpeckersWoodswallows, Butcherbirds & AlliesWrensJayshrike

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