How deep can a pelagic cormorant dive?

How far can pelagic cormorants dive?

Pelagic Cormorants are rarely seen more than a few miles from land. Pelagic Cormorants can hold their breath for 2 minutes and dive as deep as 138 feet to catch fish. Pelagic Cormorants inhabit the same places and feed on many of the same fish species as Pigeon Guillemots.

Where do pelagic cormorants nest?

During the breeding season, Pelagic Cormorants often nest on cliffs quite close to coastal roads and paths, allowing close views. “Pelagic” means “of the open ocean”—and it’s not a good description for this species. Pelagic Cormorants are rarely seen more than a few miles from land.

How high can a double crested cormorant dive?

The Double-Crested cormorant can dive up to 7.5 m (24 ft) and usually nest close to their feeding areas which can be along cliffs in porous rocks. Mitlenatch Island between Courtenay and Campbell River holds approx. 230 and Chrome and Gabriola Islands hold approx. 60 Pelagic and Double Crested Cormorants.

Where do cormorants lay their eggs?

Nests can be on rocky cliff faces, in trees, or on the ground. On average, cormorants lay three to five eggs. Survival is often low. Hatching occurs about one month after eggs are laid.

What does a pelagic cormorant look like?

Pelagic Cormorants are widespread along the Pacific coast and often occur with Brandt’s and Double-crested, where they are usually the least numerous of the three species. Look for Pelagic’s much thinner neck (straight in flight), slighter bill, narrower wings, and rather long tail.

What is the behavior of a double crested cormorant?

Behavior Double-crested Cormorants float low on the surface of water and dive to catch small fish. After fishing, they stand on docks, rocks, and tree limbs with wings spread open to dry.

What is the habitat of a double cormorant?

Habitat. Double-crested Cormorants are the most widespread cormorant in North America, and the one most frequently seen in freshwater. They breed on the coast as well as on large inland lakes. They form colonies of stick nests built high in trees on islands or in patches of flooded timber.

What is the life cycle of a cormorant?

Nesting sites are variable, reflecting at least in part the availability of food. Nests can be on rocky cliff faces, in trees, or on the ground. On average, cormorants lay three to five eggs. Survival is often low. Hatching occurs about one month after eggs are laid. Chicks then remain in the nest for a further two months.

What is the taxonomy and systematics of a cormorant?

Taxonomy and systematics. This name would apply to the group around its type species ( Brandt’s cormorant, P. penicillatus ). This is a North Pacific clade, which apart from Brandt’s and the pelagic cormorant also includes the red-faced cormorant ( P. urile) and probably also the extinct spectacled cormorant ( P. perspicillatus ).

What is a pelagic cormorant?

The pelagic cormorant ( Urile pelagicus ), also known as Baird’s cormorant, is a small member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. Analogous to other smallish cormorants, it is also called the pelagic shag occasionally. This seabird lives along the coasts of the northern Pacific; during winter it can also be found in the open ocean.

What is the behavior of a double-crested cormorant?

Behavior. Double-crested cormorants are gregarious birds that are almost always near water. Their main two activities are fishing and resting, with more than half their day spent on the latter. When at rest, a cormorant will choose an exposed spot on a bare branch or a windblown rock, and often spread its wings out,…

Where do double crested cormorants eat?

Food can be found in the sea, freshwater lakes, and rivers. Like all cormorants, the double-crested dives to find its prey. It mainly eats fish, but will sometimes also eat amphibians and crustaceans. Fish are caught by diving under water.

How old do cormorants have to be to breed?

Like many other long-lived birds, the age at which cormorants begin to breed is 2–5 years.

What happens to a cormorant’s plumage as it ages?

Over the first years of life the plumage becomes successively darker as the birds become older. Normally, a bird reaches the final adult appearance and plumage in its 3rd or 4th year, after which the plumage remains unchanged. Juvenile (left) and adult cormorant.

How long does it take for cormorant eggs to hatch?

A: A clutch of cormorant eggs will have hatched about 30 days after the first egg The chicks usually remain in the nest for almost two months. normally begin breeding at the age of 2-4 years. One study estimated that 44% of the 2-year-old and 70% of the 3-year-old females were breeding. For males the proportions

What does a double crested cormorant look like?

Double-crested cormorants weigh between 1.2–2.5 kg (2.6–5.5 lb). Males and females do not display sexual dimorphism. This species has dark-colored plumage with bare supra-loreal skin and gular skin that is yellow or orange. An adult in breeding plumage will be mostly black with the back and coverts being a dark grayish towards the center.

Where do double-crested cormorants live?

Double-crested Cormorants are colonial waterbirds that seek aquatic bodies big enough to support their mostly fish diet. However, they may roost and form breeding colonies on smaller lagoons or ponds, and then fly up to 40 miles to a feeding area.

Are there more cormorants in Europe?

Since the recent large increase in cormorant numbers across Europe, many more birds of this sub-species now occur at inland sites during as well as outside the breeding season.

Why do cormorants have different breeding ages?

This maturity seems to partially depend on food availability: More food available in the area leads to younger breeding ages. Nesting sites are variable, reflecting at least in part the availability of food. Nests can be on rocky cliff faces, in trees, or on the ground. On average, cormorants lay three to five eggs. Survival is often low.

What does a juvenile juvenile cormorant look like?

Juveniles have orange-yellow skin around the bill and a paler neck and breast. After fishing, stands on docks, rocks, and tree limbs with wings spread open to dry. “Wing-spreading” is a technique Double-crested Cormorants use to dry their feathers after swimming, as they lack waterproof feathers.

What does a double-crested cormorant look like?

Nonbreeding birds are dark overall with orange-yellow skin around the bill and chin. Migratory flocks form over both land and water in irregular V-formations. Double-crested Cormorants constantly flap their wings and have a bulky appearance when flying.

Are there two types of cormorants?

Cormorant is also now known to consist of two very similar subspecies, one a traditional coastal bird, the other a recent colonist that prefers freshwater. Add to this an extreme Nearctic rarity, Double-crested Cormorant, and you have identification conundrums suitable for all levels of birder.

Where do double crested cormorants live?

Double-crested Cormorants are the most widespread cormorant in North America, and the one most frequently seen in freshwater. They breed on the coast as well as on large inland lakes.

Are double-crested cormorants diurnal?

Double-crested cormorants are diurnal birds. They are very gregarious and can be found in large and small groups at the breeding grounds, and in winter, often feeding in large flocks. They breed in colonies and migrate in large groups.

What time of year do cormorants nest?

Nesting and reproduction: Double-crested Cormorants first nest when they are 3 years old, and most birds nest in colonies with herons and egrets. Egg laying can begin as early as April and extends into May.

Where do cormorants live in the United States?

These birds are skilled in diving for small fish. Double-crested cormorants occur widely across North America, breeding locally along all coasts as well as extensively in Florida, in the center of the continent, and along the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Lakes and in Mexico, the Bahamas, Belize and Cuba.

Is the great cormorant a large bird?

The great cormorant is a large black bird, but there is a wide variation in size in the species’ wide range.