Cormorants are distinctive aquatic birds known for their dark plumage, long necks, and exceptional diving capabilities. These successful fish-eaters are found globally in coastal and inland waters, often seen perched with their wings spread open. The tradition of assigning unique names to groups of animals, known as terms of venery, provides cormorants with several collective nouns that reflect their behavior.
The Accepted Collective Nouns
A group of cormorants is most commonly referred to as a flight, particularly when they are moving through the air between foraging and roosting spots. The unique habits of this bird have inspired a broader vocabulary for their gatherings.
Another widely accepted term is a gulp of cormorants, which captures the image of the birds rapidly swallowing fish while feeding. When gathered for resting on land or water, they may also be called a sunning or a bask. When cormorants congregate for breeding and raising their young, the group is designated a rookery.
Behavior Driving the Group Names
Many of the collective nouns are inspired by the social activities cormorants perform to survive. The name “gulp” is linked to their cooperative hunting strategy. Multiple birds often swim in a coordinated line or semi-circle to herd small schools of fish into shallow water. This synchronized effort maximizes their catch efficiency, leading to the rapid consumption of prey.
The terms “sunning” and “bask” arise from a physiological need unique among most waterbirds. Unlike ducks or geese, cormorant feathers are not fully waterproofed by preen oil. This specialized feather structure allows water to penetrate, which reduces the bird’s buoyancy and makes it easier for them to dive and pursue fish underwater.
After fishing, their water-logged feathers inhibit flight and cause them to lose body heat too quickly. Cormorants must perch on rocks, logs, or posts and spread their wings out to the side in a characteristic pose. This posture allows the sun and wind to dry their feathers. This grouping of birds drying their wings together gives rise to the collective noun “sunning.”
The designation of a “rookery” is due to their colonial nesting habits. Large numbers of cormorants gather in specific trees or on cliffs to build their nests. These dense breeding grounds are common in coastal areas and on islands, where the birds congregate for protection and to raise their young.