Birds of Alberton: the white-breasted cormorant
Cormorants dive in search of fish to eat.
The white-breasted cormorant is a common, localised resident water bird seen throughout most of South Africa.
A large fish-eating bird, it is usually associated with large bodies of water with enough fish for it to feed off.
The adult is easily identified by its glossy, dark-brown plumage contrasted to a pale white breast. The bill of the cormorant is long and slender, adapted to catch fish. A yellow colouration is visible at the base of the bill. The young of white-breasted cormorants are much paler than the adults and the white extends to the entire front side of the bird.
Cormorants are known for their diving. They dive after their favourite prey of fish and crustaceans.
White-breasted cormorants breed in colonies. The female lays three to four eggs in a nest created by the male out of sticks. The young fledge after 50 days.
Sources:
https://www.adu.uct.ac.za/adu/projects/seabirds/whitebreasted-cormorant
https://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-white-breasted-cormorant.html
Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa
Also Read:
Garden birds of Alberton: The red-headed finch
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