Cormorant

Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
[Linnaeus, 1758]

The cormorant (and shag) belong to the Phalacrocoracidae family of birds - a name which literally means "bald raven" (phalakros means bald and korax means Raven - both are Greek stems).

 

That would also explain the generic name for the cormorant then (Phalacrocorax) and as for the specific name - well... carbo means "charcoal" in Latin.

 

Does the cormorant look like a "charcoal-coloured bald raven" to you - because that is indeed the literal meaning of its scientific name...

 

No... I don't think its the best-named bird either.