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'''Alternative Name: White-breasted Cormorant <sup>[[#Taxonomy|[1]]]</sup>''' | '''Alternative Name: White-breasted Cormorant <sup>[[#Taxonomy|[1]]]</sup>''' | ||
| − | [[Image:greatcormorant.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo by {{user|Nora|Nora}}<br> | + | [[Image:greatcormorant.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo by {{user|Nora|Nora}}<br />Melton, Melbourne, [[Australia]], May 2007]] |
;[[:Category:Phalacrocorax|Phalacrocorax]] carbo | ;[[:Category:Phalacrocorax|Phalacrocorax]] carbo | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| + | 80–100 cm | ||
| + | *Blackish plumage | ||
| + | *White throat | ||
| + | *Yellow gape | ||
| + | *White thigh patch in breeding plumage<br /> | ||
| + | Juvenile whitish underparts | ||
| + | ====Similar Species==== | ||
| + | Forehead less steep than [[Shag]] | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| + | [[Image:2011-02-08DSC 1632 Cormorant.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Paul+Wheeler|Paul Wheeler}}<br />Stover, Devon, February 2011]] | ||
Almost worldwide; absent from [[Antarctica]], [[South America]] and much of [[North America]]. In North America found north of [[Nova Scotia]] in breeding season. | Almost worldwide; absent from [[Antarctica]], [[South America]] and much of [[North America]]. In North America found north of [[Nova Scotia]] in breeding season. | ||
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Some authorities consider the White-breasted Cormorant of Africa to be a separate species ''Phalacrocorax lucidus'' (Lepage, 2007)<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>. | Some authorities consider the White-breasted Cormorant of Africa to be a separate species ''Phalacrocorax lucidus'' (Lepage, 2007)<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>. | ||
====Subspecies==== | ====Subspecies==== | ||
| − | |||
There are 6 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: | There are 6 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: | ||
*''P. c. carbo'': | *''P. c. carbo'': | ||
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*''P. c. sinensis'': | *''P. c. sinensis'': | ||
:*North-central [[Europe]] to southern [[China]]; winters to south-eastern [[Asia]] and [[Indonesia]] | :*North-central [[Europe]] to southern [[China]]; winters to south-eastern [[Asia]] and [[Indonesia]] | ||
| + | [[Image:IMG 1250 cb 900 b.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Joe52|Joe52}}<br />Bournemouth, [[UK]], January 2014]] | ||
*''P. c. hanedae'': | *''P. c. hanedae'': | ||
:*Honshu Island ([[Japan]]) | :*Honshu Island ([[Japan]]) | ||
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:*[[Africa]] south of the Sahara and [[Cape Verde Islands]] | :*[[Africa]] south of the Sahara and [[Cape Verde Islands]] | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| + | Open water and rocky coastline. Breeds on sea cliffs and on inland trees. . | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| + | [[Image:IMG 45314.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|Macswede|Macswede}}<br />Skåne, [[Sweden]], April 2013]] | ||
| + | Often seen perched on rocks, bouys and posts with their wings outspread. Swims low in the water with head raised | ||
| + | ====Diet==== | ||
| + | Their diet consists mostly of fish; crustaceans and amphibians are also eaten. | ||
| + | ====Flight==== | ||
| + | Flies higher over the water than [[Shag]]s; flocks forming long lines or V-shapes. | ||
====Vocalisation==== | ====Vocalisation==== | ||
<flashmp3>Phalacrocorax carbo (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | <flashmp3>Phalacrocorax carbo (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | ||
''[[Media:Phalacrocorax carbo (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ''[[Media:Phalacrocorax carbo (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug13}}#Avibase |
| + | #Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3 | ||
| + | #Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2014) | ||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
Revision as of 20:13, 17 July 2014
Alternative Name: White-breasted Cormorant [1]
- Phalacrocorax carbo
Identification
80–100 cm
- Blackish plumage
- White throat
- Yellow gape
- White thigh patch in breeding plumage
Juvenile whitish underparts
Similar Species
Forehead less steep than Shag
Distribution
Almost worldwide; absent from Antarctica, South America and much of North America. In North America found north of Nova Scotia in breeding season.
Winters south to Florida along the coast. Also winters in small numbers in Lake Ontario.
Taxonomy
Some authorities consider the White-breasted Cormorant of Africa to be a separate species Phalacrocorax lucidus (Lepage, 2007)[2].
Subspecies
There are 6 subspecies[1]:
- P. c. carbo:
- Northern Europe and northern North America; winters to Gulf coast, north-western Africa
- P. c. novaehollandiae:
- Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and Chatham Islands
- P. c. sinensis:
- P. c. hanedae:
- Honshu Island (Japan)
- P. c. maroccanus:
- Coastal north-western Africa (Morocco to Mauritania)
- P. c. lucidus:
- Africa south of the Sahara and Cape Verde Islands
Habitat
Open water and rocky coastline. Breeds on sea cliffs and on inland trees. .
Behaviour
Often seen perched on rocks, bouys and posts with their wings outspread. Swims low in the water with head raised
Diet
Their diet consists mostly of fish; crustaceans and amphibians are also eaten.
Flight
Flies higher over the water than Shags; flocks forming long lines or V-shapes.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Phalacrocorax carbo (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2014)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Great Cormorant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Great_Cormorant
External Links
