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Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Pelecaniformes
Family:
Phalacrocoridae
BTO Codes:
CA , CORMO
EURING No:
720
Number in Britain:
8400 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant/Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
carbo (RB), sinensis (RW) recorded in Britain (of 7 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
90 cm
Wingspan:
145 cm
Weight:
M: 2.5 kg F: 2.1 kg
Scientific name from:
Gr.: phalakros =bald + korax =the raven
and L.: carbo =charcoal
World Distribution:
BREEDS: n&w Europe, local in s Eurasia, Australasia & ne North America, WINTERS: also n Africa, S Asia & south to se US
Habitat:
Larger lakes and coastal
Diet:
Fish, mostly by diving from surface
TitBit:
Their plumage is not waterproof, so they often stand on rocks, wings out-stretched to dry off after fishing
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
8355 pairs
in 1998-02
Winter:
23 thousand individuals
in 1994-99
First Record:
12th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Middle Pleistocene, c. 500,000 yr ago]
Latest Survey:
Mitchell, P.I. et al. (2004) Seabird populations of Britain and Ireland Poyser, London
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Estuaries
And found in:
Open Shore
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
275 to 310 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
66 x 41 mm
Egg Weight:
58.0 g (of which 11 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
73
Clutch Size:
3 - 4 eggs
Incubation:
28 - 31 days
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
48 - 52 days
as:
Altricial, naked
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
2051
Adult Survival:
0.88
Juvenile Survival:
0.58 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
3
years
Typical Lifespan:
11
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
23yr6m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
L
Wing Length
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Other Names
Great Cormorant
Gaelic:
Sgarbh
Welsh:
Mulfran
Danish:
Skarv
Dutch:
Aalscholver
Finnish:
Merimetso
French:
Grand Cormoran
German:
Kormoran
Hungarian:
Kárókatona
Icelandic:
Dílaskarfur
Irish:
Broigheall
Italian:
Marangone
Norwegian:
Storskarv
Polish:
Kormoran zwyczajny
Portuguese:
Corvo-marinho-de-faces-brancas
Spanish:
Cormorán grande
Swedish:
Storskarv
Local Names: Scart
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Johnsgard, P. 1993 Cormorants, darters and pelicans of the world Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington
[598.45 JON]
Nelson, J.B. 2005 Pelicans, Cormorants and their allies Oxford University Press
[598.45 NEL]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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