Japanese Cormorant
Phalacrocorax capillatus
- Family
- Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoracidae)
- Order
- Suliformes
Overview
The Japanese cormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus), also known as Temminck's cormorant, is a species of cormorant native to coastal areas of the east Palearctic.
The species has a black body with a white throat and cheeks and a partially yellow bill. Juveniles are plainer and browner in appearance. It is one of the larger cormorants and is comparable in size to the great cormorant.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Rocky seacoasts and islands of northeastern Asia, from southeastern Russia southward to Kyushu (southern Japan), Korean Peninsula, and northeastern China; ranges southward to Izu Islands and northern Ryukyu Islands (southern Japan), coastal eastern China, and Taiwan.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Japanese cormorant
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
