The little pied cormorant is a small cormorant measuring with a shorter bill and longer tail than the little black cormorant; it has a small black crest. It is found in two morphs in New Zealand. Subspecies "melanoleucos" and "brevicauda" are found only in a pied morph, black (with a slight green tinge) above and white beneath. This is also found in subspecies "brevirostris", but in this form the melanistic morph is much more common. In this form the entire plumage is black with a greenish tinge except for the sides of the head, chin, throat and upper neck; the bill is yellow with black on top. Intermediate forms are also found.