Satan of the riverbank

More bat than bird, the cormorant might have a gait that makes a penguin look like a supermodel, but it is actually a fearsome and effective aquatic predator, says Harry Pearson

- Harry Pearson

THERE is something odd about the cormorant—a hint of the reptilian, some echo of the prehistoric. It seems more bat than a bird. There is a certain elegance to the tall heron that wades the same waters, yet nothing remotely chic about the cormorant. It has enormous feet, short legs, and a ludicrous paddling walk (a cormorant makes a penguin look like Naomi Campbell). With a telescopic neck, leathery yellow skin, and a call that is an oddly porcine croak, this bird is unlikely ever to inspire romantic poetry. It looks like a broken and discarded umbrella.

Phalacrocorax carbo's ungainly appearance is deceptive. It is the most efficient and effective aquatic predator in the avian kingdom, capable of catching more than 10 times as many fish per hour than the average gull. This strange bird has been around for close to 30,000 years. It is supremely adaptable, present in a variety of forms on every continent, and thrives in all environments, including the frozen Arctic.

Even the cormorant's apparent deficiencies are strengths. It has underdeveloped oil glands and cannot waterproof its feathers—yet what appears to be a design fault actually helps it to dive deeper. It can plunge to depths of some 150ft and hold its breath for well over a minute when pursuing its prey. After a couple of dives, the feathers are soaked and the cormorant is forced to stand, wings outstretched, drying itself. It might make it vulnerable to attack, but there's something about the cormorant that deters even the hungriest predator.