Crowned cormorant
Crowned cormorant | |
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Juvenile crowned cormorant | |
Near Threatened (The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds)[2]
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Suliformes |
Family: | Phalacrocoracidae |
Genus: | Microcarbo |
Species: | M. coronatus
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Binomial name | |
Microcarbo coronatus (Wahlberg, 1855)
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Extant (resident)
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Synonyms[3] | |
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The crowned cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus) or kuifkopduiker, 'Fringe-head diver', is a small
Distribution
It is found from Cape Agulhas north to Swakopmund along the coast of southern Africa.
The population appears to be between 2500 and 2900 breeding pairs. It breeds in small groups, with fewer than 150 individuals per colony being typical. Ringing recoveries show that juveniles may disperse up to 277 km from their nests, and adults move between breeding sites over 500 km apart.
Description
The crowned cormorant is 50–55 cm in length. Adults are black with a small crest on the head and a red face patch. Young birds are dark brown above, paler brown below, and lack the crest. They can be distinguished from immature reed cormorants by their darker underparts and shorter tail.
Behaviour
Crowned cormorants feed on slow-moving fish and
It builds a nest from kelp, sticks, bones and lines it with kelp or feathers. The nest is usually in an elevated position such as a rocks, trees or man-made structures, but may be built on the ground.
Conservation
Threats to the species include predation of eggs and chicks by kelp gulls and great white pelicans, human disturbance, oiling, and commercial fishing activities, including entanglement in marine debris and plastic fishing gear.
According to the
Gallery
References
- ^ a b BirdLife International (2021). "Microcarbo coronatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T22696730A181721741. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-620-68259-6. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2023-05-07.
- ^ "Microcarbo coronatus". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- ISBN 1-86872-721-1.
- ISBN 1-56098-216-0.