Great Cormorant

Phalacrocrorax Carbo

by Steven

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Genus:Phalacrocorax
species: carbo

Physical Description

The Great Cormorant is a large, dark waterbird with a long, hooked bill. It has a longish tail and yellow throat-patch. Adults have white thigh patches in the breeding season. The length of a Great Cormorant is 30 inches and its Wingspan is 60 inches.

Diet and Feeding Habits

Like other cormorants, the Great Cormorant feeds mostly on fish, supplemented in freshwater by crustaceans, various aquatic insects and frogs. The Great Cormorant is an excellent swimmer and captures its food in shallow underwater dives, normally lasting up to one minute. Underwater it swims and pursues prey using its feet, but not its wings. Outside of the breeding season small groups are formed although birds are often seen fishing alone.

Reproduction

Great Cormorants are sociable birds and around breeding time they form colonies of about 2,000 birds, with colonies of up to 20,000 birds being reported. Breeding normally takes place from August to January but can occur at any time depending on food supply. Both sexes build the nest, which is a large structure of sticks placed in a low tree or on the ground. Both parents also incubate the eggs and care for the three or four young.

Habitat

Great Cormorants live in these countries North America, Europe, Africa, China, India, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Australia. In spite of its preference for areas of permanent freshwater, it is not confined to these and is often observed on coastal inlets and estuaries.

Role in the Ecosystem

The Great Cormorant’s role in the ecosystem is one of the top canivores in the food chain of inshore biome. The Great Cormorant lives of the docks of some ports on the Coast and feeds on fish, supplemented in freshwater by crustaceans, various aquatic insects and frogs. To humans the Great Cormorant is more of an annoyance then anything else.

Bibliography

http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/great_cormorant.htm

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i1190id.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Cormorant

http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/atlas/images/big05.gif