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'''Includes King Cormorant; Alternative Names: Blue-eyed Shag; Imperial Shag''' | '''Includes King Cormorant; Alternative Names: Blue-eyed Shag; Imperial Shag''' | ||
| − | [[Image:Imperial_Shag.jpg|thumb| | + | [[Image:Imperial_Shag.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Dark-cheeked form<br />Photo by {{user|Sussex_bird_man|Sussex bird man}} <br />Beagle Straits, Ushuaia, [[Argentina]], November 2005 ]] |
;[[:Category:Phalacrocorax|Phalacrocorax]] atriceps | ;[[:Category:Phalacrocorax|Phalacrocorax]] atriceps | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
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==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
Seacoasts of extreme southern [[South America]] and sub-Antarctic islands: [[Falkland Islands]], [[Heard Island]] and [[Macquarie Island]]. | Seacoasts of extreme southern [[South America]] and sub-Antarctic islands: [[Falkland Islands]], [[Heard Island]] and [[Macquarie Island]]. | ||
| − | [[Image:Imperial_Cormorant_by_Rodrigo_Reyes.jpg|thumb| | + | [[Image:Imperial_Cormorant_by_Rodrigo_Reyes.jpg|thumb|350px|right|White-cheeked form<br />Photo by {{user|Rodrigo_Reyes|Rodrigo Reyes}} <br />Puerto Montt, southern [[Chile]], February 2009]] |
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
Sometimes placed in genus [[:Category:Leucocarbo|Leucocarbo]]. | Sometimes placed in genus [[:Category:Leucocarbo|Leucocarbo]]. | ||
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==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| + | [[Image:0305 birdy04.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|w32aphex|w32aphex}} <br />[[Falkland Islands]]]] | ||
Rocky sea coasts. | Rocky sea coasts. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
The diet of this species is mainly fish. It can dive to a depth of almost 25m and eats mainly Argentine anchoita. | The diet of this species is mainly fish. It can dive to a depth of almost 25m and eats mainly Argentine anchoita. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | # | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}# Alvaro Jaramillo. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton Field Guides. ISBN 0-691-11740-3 |
| − | # Alvaro Jaramillo. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton Field Guides. ISBN 0-691-11740-3 | ||
# [http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=131637 Thread] in the taxonomy forum discussing the different splits and lumps in the species mentioned here. | # [http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=131637 Thread] in the taxonomy forum discussing the different splits and lumps in the species mentioned here. | ||
| + | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Phalacrocorax+atriceps}} | {{GSearch|Phalacrocorax+atriceps}} | ||
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Phalacrocorax]] | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Phalacrocorax]] | ||
Revision as of 15:12, 31 August 2016
Includes King Cormorant; Alternative Names: Blue-eyed Shag; Imperial Shag
- Phalacrocorax atriceps
Identification
Black feathers upper parts, white belly and neck. Ring of blue skin around its eyes and a bright orange nasal tuft and black crest above eyes, all of which is missing in immature birds which are browner than adults.
Two main variations: dark-cheeked forms dominate on the Atlantic side while white-cheeked forms dominate on the Pacific side of South America. These forms meet and hybridize (to some extent) in the Patagonia/Magellan Strait region.
Distribution
Seacoasts of extreme southern South America and sub-Antarctic islands: Falkland Islands, Heard Island and Macquarie Island.
Taxonomy
Sometimes placed in genus Leucocarbo.
Subspecies1
- P. a. atriceps - Islands and coasts of s Argentina and Chile
- P. a. albiventer - Falkland Islands
Status of questionable forms
South Georgia Shag, Heard Island Shag, Crozet Shag, Macquarie Shag and Antarctic Shag have recently been split from Imperial Shag by a majority of authorities, but at this time, not everybody agrees.
Dark-cheeked birds from southern South America have in the past been known as the full species King Shag (Phalacrocorax albiventer) together with birds from the Falklands. Due to reports on hybridization with atriceps these were first lumped as a subspecies under Imperial Shag, and later, the mainland birds were considered a color morph of atriceps leaving the population on Falklands as the current subspecies albiventer. Not everybody agree that the current treatment of the dark-cheeked form is the best possible treatment[3], but more data are necessary.
Habitat
Rocky sea coasts.
Behaviour
The diet of this species is mainly fish. It can dive to a depth of almost 25m and eats mainly Argentine anchoita.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Alvaro Jaramillo. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton Field Guides. ISBN 0-691-11740-3
- Thread in the taxonomy forum discussing the different splits and lumps in the species mentioned here.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Imperial Cormorant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Imperial_Cormorant
