Little Pied Cormorant

Description:

The little pied cormorant, aka little shag, is a common Australasian waterbird found in most aquatic environments, and is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family. It is a small cormorant that grows to around 55-60 centimetres. It's a benthic and solitary feeder that will dive for up to 20 seconds for prey. It feeds on crustaceans, fish, eels and insect larvae. During the breeding season, a platform nest of sticks lined with leaves is built close to other water birds, where 3-5 pale blue eggs are laid. It needs some trees and bushes near or over water for nesting. There are three subspecies.

Habitat:

Widespread and common, it lives near bodies of water such as swamps, lakes, lagoons, estuaries and the coastline. This bird was spotted at the lake on the University of Queensland Campus in Brisbane.

Notes:

The UQ lake is a fantastic spot for waterbirds of all varieties, and is just across the river from my home. http://www.uq.edu.au/sustainability/uq-s...