Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) lives in freshwater wetlands across Australia and New Zealand. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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The little pied cormorant's diet is dominated by crustaceans, which make up almost a third of its intake by weight on average and can reach eighty percent in some individuals. It also hunts a range of fish, especially flatfish such as local flounder in New Zealand, and will take eels and insect larvae when available. This unusually high crustacean component distinguishes it from most other cormorants, which rely more heavily on fish.
After a brief dive of fifteen to twenty seconds, the little pied cormorant surfaces and may place a captured fish on the water to re-orient it before swallowing it head-first. This behaviour occurs while the bird is feeding alone in shallow near-shore water, where it typically hunts. The short recovery periods of five to ten seconds give it just enough time to manipulate the prey. Such handling allows the bird to manage slippery fish and ensure a successful swallow.
When the cormorant puts its catch on the water to turn it, red-billed gulls often swoop in to steal the prey, causing kleptoparasitism. This theft is directly linked to the bird's habit of handling fish on the surface during feeding. The gulls take advantage of the brief moments when the cormorant is occupied re-orienting its catch. Such interactions can reduce the cormorant's feeding efficiency in shared coastal habitats.
The pied colour morph of the little pied cormorant is uncommon throughout New Zealand, appearing only occasionally in most regions. It becomes noticeably more frequent in Northland, where observers record roughly one bird in four belonging to this morph. This local abundance reflects the patchy distribution of the pied form across the country, contrasting with its overall rarity.
When hunting, the little pied cormorant performs brief dives that typically last fifteen to twenty seconds before resurfacing. After each plunge it spends only five to ten seconds on the water surface, a pause that allows it to recover and handle any captured prey. These short dive-recovery cycles occur while the bird feeds alone in relatively shallow, near-shore waters, matching its solitary, benthic foraging style.
Sources
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In the misty dawn, the Little Pied Cormorant emerges, its sleek black and white form slicing effortlessly through the calm waters, a master of stealth and patience as it stalks its prey beneath the surface. With each deliberate stroke of its powerful tail, it propels itself forward, a fluid extension of the aquatic world it inhabits, its large eyes ever-vigilant for the slightest hint of movement. As it rises from the depths, its feathers glisten like polished onyx, a fleeting glimpse of elegance in the fleeting dance of predator and prey.
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