Species: Phalacrocorax pelagicus
Pelagic Cormorant
Species
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Protection Island, a National Wildlife Refuge in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, provides important habitat for seabirds and marine mammals.
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Phalacrocoracidae
Genus
Phalacrocorax
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Cormoran pélagique - Cormorán Pelágico
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Pelecaniformes - Phalacrocoracidae - Phalacrocorax - May constitute a superspecies with P. URILE (AOU 1998). Zink et al. (1995) found that populations on Asian and North American sides of Beringia exhibited a level of mtDNA differentiation intermediate between populations and species; however, sample sizes were small and no formal taxonomic change was recommended. Siegel-Causey (1991) described a new species, STICTOCARBO KENYONI, from skeletons of cormorants from Amchitka Island, but this taxon was not recognized by AOU (1998), and Rohwer et al. (2000) determined that the three type specimens of S. KENYONI appear to be P. PELAGICUS. However, they do point out that P. PELAGICUS from the central Aleutians are smaller than those from surrounding populations. See Siegel-Causey (1988) for analysis of relationships within family. Siegel-Causey (1988) proposed removing this species from the genus PHALACROCORAX and placing it in the genus STICTOCARBO.
Ecology and Life History
Migration
true - true - true - Northernmost breeding populations migrate southward for winter; arrives in northern breeding areas usually between mid-April and late May or sometimes not until early June, departs mainly in late September-October (Johnsgard 1993).
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
true
Food Comments
Feeds on fishes, especially nonschooling, cryptic, demersal or epibenthic forms of rocky reefs (Johnsgard 1993); also consumes crabs, shrimps, marine worms, and amphipods (Terres 1980). Diver; forages individually, primarily along rocky shorelines, sometimes over flat sand or mud bottoms.
Reproduction Comments
Egg laying occurs mid-April through June or early July in southern California, mid-May through early August (renesting) in British Columbia, late May through late June or early July in Gulf of Alaska. Both adults, in turn, incubate an average of 3-4 eggs for 27-37 days (average 30-32 days). Young are altricial, leave nest at 4+ to 8+ weeks (average 7 weeks). Single-brooded. Sexually mature at 2 or 3 years. Renesting rate after clutch loss may be low in some areas. Reproductive success may vary greatly from year to year within a single colony, depending on predation or food supply (see Johnsgard 1993). Nests in small colonies; less gregarious than other cormorant species.
Ecology Comments
Corvids, large gulls, and raptors probably are the most important sources of egg and chick mortality in southern areas, whereas bald eagles, food, or weather may be more important in limiting productivity in northern areas; foxes and river otters may be locally important (Johnsgard 1993).
Length
66
Weight
1915
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-11-20
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-20
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.BC=S4&US.AK=S5&US.CA=SNR&US.OR=S5&US.WA=S4" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
H - >2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles) - H - BREEDS: from Chukchi Peninsula, Siberia, and Wrangel and Herald Islands in Arctic Ocean, south along Asian coast to northern Japan; also from Point Hope, Alaska, south locally to the Alaska Peninsula, including St. Lawrence and Diomede islands, west through the Aleutian and Commander islands, and eastward and southward from the Alaska Peninsula along the Pacific coast to northern Baja California (Johnsgard 1993). RANGES/WINTERS: from Aleutians and southern Alaska (or northern limits of open water) south to central Baja California; from Kamchatka south to China (AOU 1983).
Global Range Code
H
Global Range Description
>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)