• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Climate Change maps
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Christidis, L. and Boles, W.E. 2008. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Australia.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Turbott, E.G. 1990. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand. Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Wellington.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2018	Least Concern
2016	Least Concern
2012	Least Concern
2009	Least Concern
2008	Least Concern
2004	Least Concern
2000	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

Migratory status	full migrant	Forest dependency	low
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	323,000,000 km2	medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding)	304,000,000 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	poor	estimated	2012
Population trend	increasing	-	suspected	-
Generation length	11.3 years	-	-	-

Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.1,400,000-2,100,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2015). The European population is estimated at 401,000-512,000 pairs, which equates to 803,000-1,020,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).

Trend justification: The overall population trend is increasing, although some populations may be stable and others have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2015). This species has undergone a small or statistically insignificant increase over the last 40 years in North America (data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007). Within its European range it is estimated to be increasing (BirdLife International 2015).

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Afghanistan	extant	native		yes
Albania	extant	native	yes			yes
Algeria	extant	native			yes
Angola	extant	native	yes
Armenia	extant	native	yes
Australia	extant	native		yes
Austria	extant	native	yes
Azerbaijan	extant	native	yes			yes
Bahrain	extant	native			yes
Bangladesh	extant	native	yes
Belarus	extant	native	yes
Belgium	extant	native	yes			yes
Benin	extant	vagrant
Bermuda (to UK)	extant	native
Bhutan	extant	native			yes
Bosnia and Herzegovina	extant	native	yes
Botswana	extant	native	yes
Brunei	extant	native
Bulgaria	extant	native	yes			yes
Burundi	extant	native	yes
Cambodia	extant	native	yes
Cameroon	extant	native	yes
Canada	extant	native		yes
Cape Verde	extant	vagrant
Chad	extant	native	yes
China (mainland)	extant	native	yes
Christmas Island (to Australia)	extant	vagrant
Congo	extant	native
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the	extant	native	yes
Croatia	extant	native	yes
Cyprus	extant	native			yes	yes
Czechia	extant	native	yes
Denmark	extant	native	yes			yes
Egypt	extant	native	yes
Eritrea	extant	native	yes
Estonia	extant	native	yes			yes
Eswatini	extant	native	yes
Ethiopia	extant	native	yes
Faroe Islands (to Denmark)	extant	native			yes
Finland	extant	native	yes			yes
France	extant	native	yes			yes
Gambia	extant	native	yes
Georgia	extant	native	yes
Germany	extant	native	yes			yes
Gibraltar (to UK)	extant	native			yes
Greece	extant	native	yes			yes
Greenland (to Denmark)	extant	native	yes
Guam (to USA)	extant	uncertain
Guinea	extant	native	yes
Guinea-Bissau	extant	native	yes
Hong Kong (China)	extant	native			yes
Hungary	extant	native	yes			yes
Iceland	extant	native	yes
India	extant	native	yes
Indonesia	extant	native
Iran, Islamic Republic of	extant	native	yes			yes
Iraq	extant	native			yes	yes
Ireland	extant	native	yes
Israel	extant	native			yes
Italy	extant	native	yes
Japan	extant	native	yes
Jordan	extant	native			yes	yes
Kazakhstan	extant	native		yes
Kenya	extant	native	yes
Kuwait	extant	native			yes	yes
Kyrgyzstan	extant	native		yes
Laos	extant	native			yes
Latvia	extant	native	yes			yes
Lebanon	extant	native			yes	yes
Lesotho	extant	native	yes
Liberia	extant	vagrant
Libya	extant	native
Liechtenstein	extant	vagrant
Lithuania	extant	native	yes			yes
Luxembourg	extant	native	yes
Malawi	extant	native	yes
Malaysia	extant	native			yes
Malta	extant	native			yes
Mauritania	extant	native		yes
Micronesia, Federated States of	extant	vagrant
Moldova	extant	native	yes
Mongolia	extant	native		yes
Montenegro	extant	native	yes
Morocco	extant	native	yes
Mozambique	extant	native	yes
Myanmar	extant	native			yes
Namibia	extant	native	yes
Nepal	extant	native			yes
Netherlands	extant	native	yes
New Caledonia (to France)	extant	native		yes
New Zealand	extant	native		yes
Nigeria	extant	native	yes
Norfolk Island (to Australia)	extant	vagrant
North Korea	extant	native
North Macedonia	extant	native	yes
Northern Mariana Islands (to USA)	extant	vagrant
Norway	extant	native	yes
Oman	extant	native			yes
Pakistan	extant	native
Palestine	extant	native			yes
Papua New Guinea	extant	vagrant
Philippines	extant	native
Poland	extant	native	yes			yes
Portugal	extant	native			yes
Qatar	extant	native			yes
Romania	extant	native	yes			yes
Russia	extant	native	yes	yes		yes
Russia (Asian)	extant	native		yes
Russia (Central Asian)	extant	native		yes		yes
Russia (European)	extant	native	yes			yes
Rwanda	extant	native	yes
Saudi Arabia	extant	native			yes
Senegal	extant	native	yes
Serbia	extant	native	yes
Seychelles	extant	vagrant
Slovakia	extant	native	yes			yes
Slovenia	extant	native			yes
Solomon Islands	extant	native		yes
Somalia	extant	native	yes
South Africa	extant	native	yes
South Korea	extant	native	yes
South Sudan	extant	native	yes
Spain	extant	native	yes
Sri Lanka	extant	native			yes
St Pierre and Miquelon (to France)	extant	native	yes
Sudan	extant	native	yes
Sweden	extant	native	yes			yes
Switzerland	extant	native	yes
Syria	extant	native			yes	yes
Taiwan, China	extant	native			yes
Tajikistan	extant	native		yes
Tanzania	extant	native		yes
Thailand	extant	native			yes
Tunisia	extant	native			yes
Türkiye	extant	native	yes
Turkmenistan	extant	native		yes
Uganda	extant	native		yes
Ukraine	extant	native	yes			yes
United Arab Emirates	extant	native			yes
United Kingdom	extant	native	yes
USA	extant	native		yes
Uzbekistan	extant	native		yes
Vietnam	extant	native	yes
Western Sahara	extant	native		yes
Yemen	extant	native			yes
Zambia	extant	native	yes
Zimbabwe	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Albania	Drini Delta
Albania	Karavasta Lagoon
Albania	Lake Shkodra (Lake Scadar)
Australia	Lakes Alexandrina and Albert
Azerbaijan	Gizilagach
Azerbaijan	Kura Delta
Azerbaijan	Sangachal Bay
Azerbaijan	Shahdidi spit
Bulgaria	Burgasko Lake
Bulgaria	Gorni Dabnik-Telish Reservoir
Bulgaria	Island near Gorni Tzibar
Bulgaria	Mandra-Poda complex
Bulgaria	Maritsa-Plovdiv
Bulgaria	Mechka Fish-ponds
Bulgaria	Ovtcharitsa Reservoir
Bulgaria	Pozharevo Island
Bulgaria	Rozov Kladenets Reservoir
Bulgaria	Vardim Island
Bulgaria	Varna-Beloslav Lakes Complex
Canada	Basque Islands and Michaud Point
Canada	Bird Islands
Canada	Falaise aux Goélands and pointe de l’Est
Canada	Île Brion
Canada	Île du Lac
Canada	Île Shag
Canada	Northern Head and South Head
Canada	The Capes
China (mainland)	Aksu River basin
China (mainland)	Bachu Oasis
China (mainland)	Barkol Lake and grassland
China (mainland)	Bayanbulak and Kaidu River Valley
China (mainland)	Bosten Lake
China (mainland)	Burqin River and Kanas Lake
China (mainland)	Desert and wetland from Northern Urumqi to Dabancheng
China (mainland)	Ebi Nur and Kuytun River
China (mainland)	Hotan Oasis
China (mainland)	Lower reaches of Tarim River
China (mainland)	Markit-Yarkant Oasis
China (mainland)	Oasis, Desert and Wetland at Mosuowan
China (mainland)	Qiemo Oasis and Qarqan River
China (mainland)	Qinghai Hu (Koko Nor)
China (mainland)	Sanjiang Nature Reserve
China (mainland)	Tarim Euphrates Poplar Forest Nature Reserve
China (mainland)	Ulungur Hu and Jili Hu (Fu Hai)
China (mainland)	Xayar forest and wetland
China (mainland)	Xingkai Hu Nature Reserve
Denmark	Horsens Fjord, Svanegrunden & Endelave
Denmark	Hovvig
Denmark	Hyllekrog-Rødsand and Fehmarn Belt
Denmark	Islands and coast between Skælskør Fjord and Glænø
Denmark	Islands in Smålandshavet, north of Lolland
Denmark	Lille Vildmose
Denmark	Maribo lakes
Denmark	Nærå Coast and Æbelø area
Denmark	Nissum Fjord
Denmark	Præstø Fjord, Ulvshale, Nyord and Jungshoved Nor
Denmark	Ringkøbing Fjord
Denmark	Stavnsfjord and adjacent waters
Egypt	El Malaha
Egypt	Lake Bardawil
Egypt	Lake Manzala
Egypt	Zaranik Protected Area
Estonia	Irbe strait
Estonia	Luitemaa
Estonia	Pärnu bay (NEW)
Estonia	Väinameri
France	Baie des Veys et Marais du Cotentin
France	Basse Vallée de la Durance
France	Camargue
France	Cap Fagnet
France	Estuaire de la Bidassoa et Baie de Fontarabie
France	Etang d'Urbino et zones humides périphériques
France	Etang de Biguglia
France	Etang de Thau
France	Etangs de Citis, Lavalduc, Engrenier, Pourra, l'Estomac, Fos et salines de Rassuen et de Fos
France	Etangs Montpellierains
France	Lac du Der-Chantecoq et étangs latéraux
France	Moyenne Vallée de la Durance
France	Petite Camargue laguno-marine
France	Val de Drôme: Les Ramières-printegarde
France	Vallée de la Loire : Orléanais
Germany	Ammersee
Germany	Coast and lagoons of Western Pomerania
Germany	Danube valley: Regensburg-Vilshofen
Germany	Greifswalder Bodden
Germany	Großer and Kleiner Jasmunder Bodden with Schmachter See and Nonnensee
Germany	Grosser Plöner See
Germany	Hessian Rhine alluvion
Germany	Heubachniederung/ Schwarzes Venn/ Borkenberge/ Halterner Seen
Germany	Lakes of Schwerin, Dambeck and Warin
Germany	Lower Oder valley
Germany	Lower Rhine
Germany	Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park
Germany	Mühlenberger Loch
Germany	Nossentiner-/Schwinzer Heide with Krakower Obersee and Plauer See
Germany	Rhine flats Karlsruhe - Rheinsheim
Germany	Rhine flats Sasbach - Wittenweier
Germany	Schlei
Germany	Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park (includes the Halligs, Kniepsand/Amrum, Lister Koog, Rantumbecken, Rickelsb
Germany	Steinhuder Meer
Germany	Traveförde and Dassower See
Germany	Usedom lagoon (Peenestrom, Achterwasser, Kleines Haff with Neuwarper See)
Germany	Weser valley near Stolzenau and Landesbergen
Germany	Wismar bay and Salzhaff
Greece	Amvrakikos gulf
Greece	Divari Pylou (Gialova) lagoon and Sfaktiria island
Greece	Epanomi lagoon
Greece	Evros delta
Greece	Kalamas delta
Greece	Lagoons of Kerkyra island
Greece	Lake Amvrakia
Greece	Lake Ismarida (Mitrikou)
Greece	Lake Kerkini
Greece	Lake Pamvotida (Ioannina)
Greece	Mesolongi and Aitoliko lagoons, Acheloos delta and Evinos estuary
Greece	Nestos delta and coastal lagoons
Greece	Porto Lagos, lake Vistonida and coastal lagoons
Greece	Prespa National Park and Varnountas mountains
Guinea-Bissau	Arquipélago dos Bijagós
Hong Kong (China)	Inner Deep Bay and Shenzhen River catchment area
Iceland	Breidafjördur
India	The Chapories of Lohit Reserve
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Abbas-abad dam
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Anzali Mordab complex
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Bahu Kalat (Gandu) Protected Area
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Bandar Kiashar lagoon and mouth of Sefid Rud
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Fereidoonkenar marshes
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Gomishan marshes and Turkoman steppes
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Hilleh Protected Area
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Miankaleh Peninsula and Gorgan Bay
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Monde Protected Area
Iran, Islamic Republic of	South Caspian shore, from Astara to Gomishan
Iraq	Dukan Lake
Ireland	Ireland's Eye
Ireland	Lambay Island
Ireland	Skerries Islands
Israel	Hefer valley
Israel	Jezre'el, Harod and Bet She'an valleys
Israel	Lake Kinneret and Kinerot
Japan	Inner Tokyo bay
Japan	Unoyama
Kazakhstan	Akzhar Lakes
Kazakhstan	Amangeldy
Kazakhstan	Cherniy (Black) Irtysh Delta
Kazakhstan	Delta of the Ural River
Kazakhstan	Ili River Delta
Kazakhstan	Irgiz-Turgay Lakes
Kazakhstan	Kamyshovoe-Zhamankol Lakes
Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan portion of the river Volga's Delta - Zhambay
Kazakhstan	Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve
Kazakhstan	Lake Alakol Islands
Kazakhstan	Lesser Aral Sea
Kazakhstan	Sarykopa Lake System
Kazakhstan	Sorbulak Lake System
Kazakhstan	Tentek River Delta
Kazakhstan	Tortoise Islands
Lithuania	Lithuanian part of the Curonian Spit
Lithuania	The northern part of the Curonian Lagoon
Mauritania	Aftout Es Sâheli
Mauritania	Banc d'Arguin National Park
Mauritania	Diawling National Park
Mongolia	Boon Tsagaan Lake
Mongolia	Buir Lake
Mongolia	Khar Lake
Mongolia	Khar Us Lake
Mongolia	Khukh Lake
Mongolia	Mongol Daguur
Mongolia	Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake
Mongolia	Tolbo Lake
Mongolia	Uvs Lake
Mongolia	Zavkhan River - Ereen Lake
Mongolia	Zavkhan River - Ereen Lake
Montenegro	Skadar Lake
Myanmar	Ayeyarwady River: Myitkyina to Sinbo Section
Netherlands	Lake IJsselmeer
Netherlands	Markermeer & IJmeer
Netherlands	Oostvaardersplassen
Norway	Froan
Norway	Horsvær
Norway	Humlingsvær
Norway	Kongsøy
Norway	Nykvåg
Norway	Øra
Norway	Sklinna
Norway	Valvær
Norway	Vega archipelago
Oman	Barr al Hikman
Pakistan	Haleji Wildlife Sanctuary
Pakistan	Jiwani Beaches and Dasht Kaur
Pakistan	Kinjhar (Kalri) Wildlife Sanctuary
Poland	Delta of the Swina river
Poland	Puck Bay
Poland	Szczecin lagoon
Poland	Vistula Lagoon
Portugal	Sado estuary
Romania	Bistreţ
Romania	Black Sea
Romania	Blahniţa
Romania	Buhuşu reservoir - Bacău - Tătărăşti
Romania	Danube Delta
Romania	Gruia - Gârla Mare
Romania	Ilfov reservoir
Romania	Olt valley
Romania	Vedea - Dunăre
Russia (Asian)	Tere-Khol' lake
Russia (Central Asian)	Bol'shoye Beloye lake
Russia (Central Asian)	Dzhulukul' depression
Russia (Central Asian)	Tundrovo lake
Russia (European)	Agrakhanski Bay (North Agrakhan)
Russia (European)	Chechen' Island and east seaside of Agrakhan peninsula
Russia (European)	Dadynskiye lakes
Russia (European)	Delta of the River Don
Russia (European)	Dolgy Reef and Bol'shoi Fiskar archipelagos
Russia (European)	Khanskoye Lake
Russia (European)	Kiziltash limans
Russia (European)	Maly Zhemchuzhny island
Russia (European)	Neman river Delta and the coast of the Curonian Bay
Russia (European)	Southern Agrakhan lake
Russia (European)	Taman'
Russia (European)	Tyuleni island
Russia (European)	Utrish Reserve and adjacent coastal waters
Russia (European)	Yeiski salt-lakes
Saudi Arabia	Abu Ali
Saudi Arabia	Tarut Bay
Senegal	Delta du Saloum
Senegal	Djoudj wetlands
Senegal	La Petite Côte
Senegal	Niayes (from Dakar to St Louis)
Senegal	Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie
Senegal	Parc National des Iles de la Madeleine
Spain	Albufera de Valencia marshes
Spain	Ebro delta
Spain	Rosarito and Navalcán reservoirs-La Iglesuela (Tietar valley)
Sweden	Bay of Skälder
Sweden	Falsterbo – Bay of Fote
Sweden	Gräsö Archipelago
Sweden	Lomma Bight
Sweden	Lövsta Bight – Björn Archipelago
Switzerland	Lake Geneva: Grangettes
Taiwan, China	Aogu Wetlands
Taiwan, China	Fengshan Reservoir
Taiwan, China	Kaoping River
Taiwan, China	Kinmen National Park
Tanzania	Lake Victoria: Bumbire Islands
Tanzania	Rubondo Island National Park
Tunisia	Côte de Zerkine et El Grine
Tunisia	Golfe de Boughrara
Tunisia	Îles Kerkennah
Tunisia	Lac de Tunis
Tunisia	Lagune El Bibane
Türkiye	Bafa Lake
Türkiye	Bosphorus
Türkiye	Büyük Menderes Delta
Türkiye	Gediz Delta
Türkiye	Karkamış
Türkiye	Köyceğiz Lake
Türkiye	Küçükçekmece Basin
Türkiye	Manyas Lake (Kuş Lake)
Türkiye	Marmara Lake
Türkiye	Meriç Delta
Türkiye	Yedikır Reservoir
Turkmenistan	Deryatakyr
Turkmenistan	Ekerem - Esenguly
Turkmenistan	Gorelde
Turkmenistan	Khankhovuz
Turkmenistan	Kopetdagkhovudan
Turkmenistan	Mergen
Turkmenistan	Sarygamysh
Uganda	Lutoboka point (Ssese islands)
Ukraine	Berdyans'ka peninsula
Ukraine	Cape Martiyan
Ukraine	Dnipro delta
Ukraine	Dnister delta
Ukraine	Kakhovs'ke reservoir (Energodar)
Ukraine	Kakhovs'ke reservoir (Vasylivka village)
Ukraine	Karkinits'ka and Dzharylgats'ka bays
Ukraine	Kazantip Cape, Aktash lake and Astanins'ka marsh
Ukraine	Kinburns'kyj peninsula
Ukraine	Molochnyj Liman
Ukraine	Obytichna peninsula
Ukraine	Syvash Bay
Ukraine	Yagorlyts'ka and Tendrivs'ka Bays
United Kingdom	Mochrum and Castle Lochs
United Kingdom	Sheep Island
United Kingdom	Ynys Seiriol/Puffin Island
Uzbekistan	Aktepe Reservoir and Three Lakes
Uzbekistan	Amudarya floodlands near Termez
Uzbekistan	Balykchi Fish Farm
Uzbekistan	Chimkurgan Reservoir
Uzbekistan	Dalverzin State Forestry and Hunting Management Area
Uzbekistan	Karakyr Lakes
Uzbekistan	Karnabchul Steppe
Uzbekistan	Northern shore of Aydarkul Lake
Uzbekistan	Tuzkan Lake
Uzbekistan	Zholdyrbas Lake

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes	suitable	breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes	suitable	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Estuaries	suitable	breeding
Marine Neritic	Estuaries	suitable	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Macroalgal/Kelp	major	breeding
Marine Neritic	Macroalgal/Kelp	major	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Pelagic	major	breeding
Marine Neritic	Pelagic	major	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Seagrass (Submerged)	major	breeding
Marine Neritic	Seagrass (Submerged)	major	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel	major	breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel	major	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs	major	breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs	major	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Sandy	major	breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Sandy	major	non-breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Sandy-Mud	major	breeding
Marine Neritic	Subtidal Sandy-Mud	major	non-breeding
Wetlands (inland)	Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands	major	breeding
Wetlands (inland)	Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands	major	non-breeding
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha)	major	breeding
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha)	major	non-breeding
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes	major	breeding
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes	major	non-breeding
Altitude		Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use	Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Competition, Species mortality

Purpose	Scale
Food - human	subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture	international
Sport hunting/specimen collecting	subsistence, national

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/great-cormorant-phalacrocorax-carbo on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.