Cape Cormorant
Cape CormorantCape CormorantCape CormorantCape Cormorant

Cape Cormorant

Phalacrocorax capensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at iSimangaliso Wetland Park
16 Verified records at iSimangaliso Wetland Park
August Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Cape cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis), also known as the Cape shag, is a member of the cormorant family. It is endemic to the southwestern coast of Africa, and classified as "Endangered" by the IUCN. The Cape cormorant is most closely related to the great cormorant and Japanese cormorant. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Cormorant sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Great Cormorant
LC Endemic

Great Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalacrocorax carbo

10–20% · With luck
Long-tailed Cormorant
LC

Long-tailed Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Microcarbo africanus

50–60% · Likely
African Darter
LC

African Darter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anhinga rufa

20–30% · Possible
Cape Gannet
EN

Cape Gannet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Morus capensis

5–10% · With luck
Lesser Frigatebird
LC Endemic

Lesser Frigatebird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fregata ariel

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
30–40%
2 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
3 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
4 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
5 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Cape Cormorant in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Cormorant sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Cape Cormorant in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?

August has the highest sighting rate for Cape Cormorant in iSimangaliso Wetland Park in our monthly data.

← Back to iSimangaliso Wetland Park