This cormorant occurs along the coasts and islands of southern South America. Breeding adults show striking blue eye-rings and black-and-white plumage, and dive at sea mainly for fish.
Breeding adults of the nominate subspecies have glossy black upperparts, a white belly, a large white back patch and white wingbars, with bright blue eye-rings and pink feet. Non-breeding adults lack the white wingbar, back patch and crest. Juveniles have duller, browner upperparts, no crest or caruncles, and a paler bill and throat pouch.
It searches for food around coasts and islands, diving mainly for fish. It also takes crustaceans and cephalopods, and the diet varies among breeding colonies.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.