#0822 · 🐦 birds
Pygmy Cormorant
🇳🇱 Dwergaalscholver ·Microcarbo pygmaeus
9 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © ward123 · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 2. © Jakob Stanič · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 3. © Paul Cools · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 4. © Marco Vicariotto · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 5. © Tiziano Compagnoni · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 6. © Shahrzad Fattahi · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 7. © Alex J Burchard · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 8. © Jessica Peruzzo · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 9. © Kostas Zontanos · CC BY 4.0
what is it?
The pygmy cormorant ( Microcarbo pygmaeus ) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae (cormorant) family of seabirds. It breeds in south-eastern Europe and south-western Asia. It is partially migratory, with northern populations wintering further south, mostly within its breeding range. It is a rare migrant to western Europe.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- Spotted 18 times in the Netherlands on iNaturalist.
- 11,032 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named by Peter Simon Pallas in 1773 (253 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- Pygmy Cormorant
- Nederlands
- Dwergaalscholver
- scientific name
- Microcarbo pygmaeus
- class
- Aves
- order
- Suliformes
- family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- IUCN Red List
- LC · least concern
- sightings in NL
- 18
- sightings in Europe
- 9,128
- sightings worldwide
- 11,032
- GBIF records in NL
- 18
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1773 by Peter Simon Pallas
IUCN in Dutch: niet bedreigd. Blank means the sources don't say.
relatives· Phalacrocoracidae
#0541 📷 9Great Cormorant
🇳🇱 Aalscholver
Phalacrocorax carbo
LC 👀 4.3k in NL
#0747 📷 10European Shag
🇳🇱 Kuifaalscholver
Gulosus aristotelis
LC 👀 64 in NL
#1026 📷 8Double-crested Cormorant
🇳🇱 Geoorde Aalscholver
Nannopterum auritum
LC 🌍 218.4k seen
#1294 📷 9Neotropic Cormorant
🇳🇱 Bigua-aalscholver
Nannopterum brasilianum
LC 🌍 70.9k seen
#1344 📷 9Little Pied Cormorant
🇳🇱 Kleine Bonte Aalscholver
Microcarbo melanoleucos
LC 🌍 36.5k seen
#1407 📷 7Brandt's Cormorant
🇳🇱 Brandts Aalscholver
Urile penicillatus
LC 🌍 24.1k seen
#1457 📷 8Pelagic Cormorant
🇳🇱 Pelagische Aalscholver
Urile pelagicus
LC 🌍 18.6k seen
#1460 📷 7Little Black Cormorant
🇳🇱 Zwarte Aalscholver
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
LC 🌍 17.9k seen
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 979813, Wikidata Q244319, GBIF 6066518, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.