Ingo Arndt / Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) adult resting, close up portrait, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. January. Finalist in the Birds Category of the GDT Awards 2015.

Bence Mate / Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) squabbling over fish, Pusztaszer, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary, November.

Bence Mate / Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) fighting, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) fighting with Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) over fish, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary.

Bence Mate / Two Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) squabbling, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary.

Erlend Haarberg / European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) sitting at the entrance of a cave with flock of Common guillemots (Uria aalge) and Gulls (Laridae) flying past cave, Hornoya and Reinoya Nature Reserve, Finnm...

Andy Rouse / Galapagos flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) diving for fish underwater, Galapagos.

Espen Bergersen / European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in courtship display. Hornoya bird cliff, Finnmark, Norway. March.

Espen Bergersen / Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) and European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) Hornoya, Finnmark, Norway. March.

Tui De Roy / Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) underwater, Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island, Galapagos, Ecuador, April.

David Pattyn / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) flying with nesting material, Hornoya, Varanger, Finnmark, Norway, May.

David Pattyn / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) spreading wings to dry, Hornoya, Varanger, Finnmark, Norway, April.

Bence Mate / Pygmy cormorants (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus) drying their feathers, Hortobay, hungary, August.

Ben Hall / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) with perch in its beak, Cheshire, UK, October. Highly Commended in the British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) competition 2013.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) on small island, Isla Contoy National Park, Quintana Roo, Yuccatan Penninsula, Mexico

Roy Mangersnes / Rock shag (Phalacrocorax magellanicus) coming in to the nest with nesting material. Gypsy Cove, Falkland Islands.

Ingo Arndt / Eurasian Cormorant colony (Phalacrocorax carbo) and Great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Danube Delta, Romania

Ingo Arndt / Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) colony nesting in dead trees, Danube Delta, Romania

Ingo Arndt / Eurasian Cormorant (phalacrocorax carbo) adult flying, Danube Delta, Romania

Ingo Arndt / Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) adult, close up from feathers on back, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, January.

Ingo Arndt / Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) adult, close up, preening, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, January.

Ingo Arndt / Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) sunning and drying feathers, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, January.

Ingo Arndt / Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) adult, portrait, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, January.

Andy Trowbridge / European / Common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) portrait with open beak, close-up. Vardo, Norway. July.

Ann & Steve Toon / National Trust ranger Laura Shearer monitoring nesting seabirds, Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK, July.

Ann & Steve Toon / Measuring shag chick (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) for research, Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK, July.

George Sanker / Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) group on rock, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA, September.

Tui De Roy / Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) courtship, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) courtship, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) drying wings, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on coast, Galapagos

Tui De Roy / Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) drying wings, Galapagos

Robert Thompson / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in profile, Northern Ireland, UK. May.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Socotra cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) roosting on cliffs, Oman, December

Roger Powell / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in winter plumage landing on a tidal creek. Cresswell, Druridge Bay, Northumberland, UK, March.

Roger Powell / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in winter plumage flying, Cresswell, Druridge Bay, Northumberland, UK, March.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) pair bonding at nest, Germany, May.

Ingo Arndt / Pelagic cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus) flying, Bering Sea, Alaska, USA

Jiri Lochman / Little pied cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos), Cape Range National Park, Ningaloo Coast UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, Western Australia, Australia.

Nick Hawkins / Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) drying wings, Cano Negro, Costa Rica, April.

David Tipling / Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) immature Chucunaque River, Darien National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site, Panama.

Sylvain Cordier / Flightless cormorant (Nannopterum / Phalacrocorax harrisi), wings open, Fernandina island, Galapagos island

Sylvain Cordier / Flightless cormorant (Nannopterum / Phalacrocorax harrisi), with piece of algae in beak to build nest, Fernandina island, Galapagos Island, April 2005.

Sylvain Cordier / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer), nesting colony on Pebble island, Falkland islands

Sylvain Cordier / King Shag or White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) in flight over nesting colony on Pebble island, Falkland islands

Sylvain Cordier / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) in flight over nesting colony on Pebble island, Falkland islands

Sylvain Cordier / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer), returning from the sea with nesting material, Pebble island, Falkland islands

Sylvain Cordier / Striated caracara (Phalcoboenus australis), adult predating a young White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer), Stepple Jason Island, Falkland islands

Sylvain Cordier / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer), chick begging food from its parent, in nesting colony on Pebble island, Falkland islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica) adult with predated King cormorant / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) egg, on Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica), adult predating an egg in a colony of White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) on Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica) flying with predated King cormorant / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) egg in its beak, on Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica) adult with predated King cormorant / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) egg, Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica) adult with predated King cormorant / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) chick, Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica) adult with predated King cormorant / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) egg, Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland Skua (Catharacta antarctica), two fighting over White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) chick,Pebble Island , Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica), adult predating White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) egg on Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica) adult taking a King cormorant / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) chick from nesting colony, Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Sylvain Cordier / Falkland skua (Catharacta antarctica), adult predating a young King cormorant / White bellied shag (Leucocarbo atriceps albiventer) chick, Pebble Island , Falkland Islands

Fabrice Cahez / Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) feeding on fish prey, Champagne, France, November.

Fabrice Cahez / Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Champagne, France, winter 2017

Fabrice Cahez / Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) five in flight, Champagne, France. February.

Fabrice Cahez / Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) three in flight, Champagne, France. February.

Hermann Brehm / Cormorant (Phalocrocorax carbo) drying wings , Bayern, Germany. April

Hermann Brehm / Cormorant (Phalocrocorax carbo) preening, Bayern, Germany. April

Hermann Brehm / Cormorant (Phalocrocorax carbo), Bayern, Germany. April

Hermann Brehm / Cormorant (Phalocrocorax carbo), Bayern, Germany. November

Hermann Brehm / Cormorant (Phalocrocorax carbo) with fish prey, Bayern, Germany. November

Hermann Brehm / Cormorant (Phalocrocorax carbo) with fish prey, Bayern, Germany. November

Kim Taylor / Long-tailed cormorant (Phalcrocorax africanus) on Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle). Gambia, Africa

Tony Heald / Reed cormorant (Phalacrocorax africanus) juvenile with fish prey, Chobe National Park Botswana November 2016

Roger Powell / Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) catching and attempting to eat a European eel (Anguilla anguilla) on the side of a tidal pool. Druidge Pools Nature Reserve, Northumberland, England, UK. August....

Melvin Grey / Double-crested cormorant (Phalocrocorax auritus) with louse fly. Everglades National Park. Florida, USA. February.

Markus Varesvuo / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) in aggressive display, fighting over food with a Great White Egret (Ardea alba), Hungary, January.

Markus Varesvuo / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) pair, necks entwined in bonding behaviour, Vardö, Norway.

Doug Wechsler / Island in lake with mixed bird colony (cormorants, egrets and herons) Heislerville Wildlife Management Area, New Jersey, USA, May

Jose B. Ruiz / Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Sletness Reserve, Finnmark. Norway. May.

Gerrit Vyn / Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus). Yucatan, Mexico. February.

Gerrit Vyn / Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus). Yucatan, Mexico. February.

Niall Benvie / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in silhouette, Lunga, Scotland, UK, May.

Jack Dykinga / Flock of Neotropic cormorants ( (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) on wire at sunset, Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA. November.

Jack Dykinga / Flock of Neotropic cormorants ( (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) on wire at sunset, Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA. November.

Christophe Courteau / Cape cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) at rest, Skeleton Coast, Namibia. October

Christophe Courteau / Cape cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) at rest, Skeleton Coast, Namibia. October

Christophe Courteau / Cape cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) at rest, Skeleton Coast, Namibia. October

Alex Mustard / Brandt's cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) hunts for a meal in a school of Pacific chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) beneath Eureka oil rig. Los Angeles, California, USA, Pacific Ocean, September

Markus Varesvuo / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in flight, Vardo, Norway March

Markus Varesvuo / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) building nest on coastal cliff, Vardo, Norway March

Markus Varesvuo / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) two heads showing above rock, Vardo, Norway March

Markus Varesvuo / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) with caught fish in beak, Hungary January

Markus Varesvuo / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) with caught fish in beak, Hungary January

Markus Varesvuo / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) with caught fish in beak, Hungary January

Markus Varesvuo / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) swallowing caught fish, Hungary January

Markus Varesvuo / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) with double fish catch, Hungary January