Cormorant

A cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a large, black bird that looks like a goose. It appears often in art from Egypt and the Holy Land. Cormorants are 48 to 102 centimeters long (19 to 40 inches). They have webbing between all four toes. Their feet are set far back on the body, which helps them swim under water to catch food. They eat fish, shellfish, and amphibians (animals such as frogs). The bill is long and curves at the tip. A small sac under the bill can hold a caught fish.

Cormorants live in large groups. They make nests of sticks and plants in trees or on rocky ledges near the sea. Each pair lays up to four eggs. Both the male and female care for the young.