While debate persists over whether it constitutes a distinct species or a regional variant of the great cormorant, its distinguishing features include a white breast and a preference for freshwater habitats among its subpopulations.

It does however intergrade with the great cormorant subspecies P. carbo maroccanus in western Africa, which is distinguished only with difficulty by its reduced white on the breast.

[6][2] The West African population predominantly inhabits the Sahelian Upwelling Marine Ecoregion, stretching from Morocco to Guinea along the Atlantic coast, and its breeding grounds extend from the Cape Verde Islands to the coastline.

On the African mainland it occurs more frequently in eastern and southern parts, rather than in the drier western regions, where it usually is found only on perennial rivers and dams.

On inland waters it commonly occurs together with the reed cormorant and the African darter, but it is ecologically separated from these species by its fishing habits and the size and nature of its prey.