Species: Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Brandt's Cormorant
Species
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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Phalacrocoracidae
Genus
Phalacrocorax
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Cormoran de Brandt - Cormorán de Brandt
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Pelecaniformes - Phalacrocoracidae - Phalacrocorax - ; DeBenedictus (1989) concluded that the taxonomic ranks of many groups recognized by Siegel-Causey (1988) are inflated and inconsistent with other taxonomic data.
Ecology and Life History
Short General Description
A bird (cormorant).
Migration
true - true - false - Resident throughout year near nesting areas, but ranges more widely when not breeding. Post-breeding dispersal from colonies on west coast of United States occurs in July and August as thousands move north to the waters of southern British Columbia and Puget Sound; a gradual movement southward begins in September and October, but at least 10,000 to 15,000 overwinter in Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia, and Juan de Fuca Strait (Campbell et al. 1990, Johnsgard 1993).
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
true
Food Comments
Feeds on small saltwater fishes, especially those at or near the bottom but also those throughout the water column (schooling and nonschooling species), and squid; primarily on fishes of no commercial value. Also feeds on crabs and shrimps. In the north, feeds more often over sand or mud bottoms than does the pelagic cormorant. See Johnsgard (1993) for further information.
Reproduction Comments
Egg laying occurs mainly in June in British Columbia, late May and June in northern California, mid-April to early July in central California, and late February to mid-June in southern California (Johnsgard 1993). Both parents, in turn, incubate 3-6 (usually 3-4) eggs. Incubation lasts 28-32 days. Nestlings altricial. Fledging occurs at about 40-42 days. Single brooded but some lay replacement clutch if first clutch is lost. On Farallon Islands, females first bred at modal age of 2 years (mostly 2-5 years), males at 4 years (mostly 3-5 years); mate fidelity is low; the most successful individuals fledged 10-20 chicks over their lifetime; all adults skipped breeding at least one year during their reproductive lifetime; food availability affected many reproductive parameters; reproductive success varied considerably among years (Boekelheide and Ainley 1989).
Ecology Comments
Gathers in flocks in feeding areas. Male establishes territory in immediate area of nest. In winter in California, made 55-km round trips between roost and feeding area (see Johnsgard 1993). Increased sea surface temperatures, such as those associated with El Nino events, were correlated with decreases in nesting populations in Washington (Wilson 1991). Gulls commonly prey on eggs and chicks.
Length
89
Weight
2103
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1999-11-20
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=SH&US.AK=S1&US.CA=SNR&US.OR=S4&US.WA=S3" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
FG - 20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles) - FG - BREEDING: coastally along Pacific coast from southern Alaska (very local, Prince William Sound and Hazy Island near Coronation Island) and Vancouver Island and Washington (small, local populations) south to Baja California, including Pacific coastal islands of Baja; local on some islands in the Gulf of California (San Pedro Martir, Salsipuedes, and Roca Blanca) (Johnsgard 1993). NON-BREEDING: mostly near nesting areas. Common to very abundant as a non-breeder in southern British Columbia (Campbell et al. 1990). Extends north to Prince Williams Sound, Alaska and to southern Baja California.
Global Range Code
FG
Global Range Description
20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)