Phalacrocorax carbo can reach a body length of up to 90 cm. It has a long, curved bill. The throat feathers are white, while the rest of the body is black with a metallic sheen. During the breeding season, the cormorant nests in colonies and has a white patch on its flanks. Its feet are webbed. When swimming, the body is submerged in the water with only the head slightly raised (Schaefer 2018). This species always lives near water and is mainly found along coastlines or larger bodies of water (Peterson et al. 1993). A characteristic behavior is stretching out the tail and wings to dry the plumage (Kortlandt 1940).

Diet: The cormorant feeds primarily on fish and crustaceans (Schaefer 2018).

Threat status: Phalacrocorax carbo is classified as “least concern” according to both the IUCN Red List for endangered species and the Red List of Germany.