❃ Perched on a rock or piling with its wings held wide open, the great cormorant strikes one of the most recognizable poses in the bird world. Unlike most waterbirds, its feathers are only partly waterproof — a trait that lets water soak in and reduce buoyancy, helping it sink and pursue fish underwater with ease. The trade-off is that after every fishing session, it must stand with wings outstretched to dry them in the sun and wind.

❃ Below the surface it is transformed. Propelled by powerful webbed feet, the great cormorant chases fish through open water with startling agility, diving to depths of thirty meters or more and staying under for well over a minute. Its hooked bill grips slippery prey securely, and a flexible throat allows it to swallow surprisingly large fish whole before returning to the surface.

❃ Found across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the coasts of North America, it is one of the most widespread seabirds on Earth. For over a thousand years, fishermen in China and Japan have harnessed its skill directly — a tradition known as cormorant fishing, in which trained birds dive on command and surrender their catch. Ancient, adaptable, and endlessly efficient, the great cormorant remains one of the ocean's most accomplished hunters.