
Crowned Cormorant
The crowned cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus) is a small cormorant that is endemic to the waters of the cold Benguela Current of southern Africa.
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 1,305 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Western Cape
Provinces where Crowned Cormorant is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,305 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Crowned Cormorant
Stays that give back
Across the Eastern Cape
Crowned Cormorant recorded here
Birder friendly
Birder friendly
Birder friendly
Birder friendly
Forests, lagoons, and Knysna's sheltered bay
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Crowned Cormorant
Hosts have recorded the Crowned Cormorant at stays in or beside Tsitsikamma National Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Microcarbo coronatus
Records
1,305
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Crowned Cormorant on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Crowned Cormorant in Eastern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Crowned Cormorant at stays in or beside Tsitsikamma National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Crowned Cormorant in South Africa?
The Crowned Cormorant is most recorded in Western Cape (98% of records), based on 1,305 iNaturalist observations. 1 place to stay on Spekboom in Eastern Cape has recorded the Crowned Cormorant on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Crowned Cormorant?
The Crowned Cormorant is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Tsitsikamma National Park: Apr-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Crowned Cormorant?
The crowned cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus) is a small cormorant that is endemic to the waters of the cold Benguela Current of southern Africa. It is an exclusively coastal species and is not found more than 10 km (6 mi) away from land. This species is related to the reed cormorant, and was formerly considered to the same species.

























