In the Netherlands cormorants are relatively boring looking birds, in most light conditions they are all black with a yellow bill. Only in breeding season they get some white patches and when the light is good, you might see some other colours shining through the black.

On Antarctica there is a different species, the Antarctic Cormorant (or Antarctic Shag). It has a black and white plumage, but has beautiful blue eyes and, in breeding plumage, a yellow patch on the base of the bill.

From a distance they look a bit lie a penguin with their black and white feathers and they often sit near a penguin colony. I’ve several times seen quite surprised looks on the guests when they suddenly see a ‘penguin’ take off.