Migratory Great Cormorant Spreads Along Arabian Gulf, Red Sea Coasts

 The great cormorant is a widely distributed aquatic bird found worldwide, with resident populations in southern and eastern Africa, India, and Australia, while northern populations migrate south in winter to warmer regions, including large parts of the Arabian Peninsula.

 The bird is a common winter visitor to the Kingdom and an uncommon summer visitor. It is widespread during winter along the coasts of the Arabian Gulf and adjacent wetlands, though smaller numbers are found in inland wetlands and along the Red Sea coast.

 The bird prefers calm coastal waters, such as bays and sheltered straits. It also frequents freshwater and brackish wetlands and benefits from inland water bodies rich in fish.

 The bird, which usually hunts alone, can be seen in large groups numbering hundreds of individuals. Roosts of more than 1,000 birds have been recorded in Eastern Region.

 Although it appears slow-moving on land, the bird is a skilled swimmer and diver. It is also a powerful bird characterized by slow, strong wingbeats, with a wingspan ranging from 130 to 160 centimeters.