Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Aves | Pelecaniformes | Phalacrocoracidae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Others; freshwater; brackish. Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. Tropical to boreal.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 90.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 94965); max. published weight: 2.6 kg (Ref. 356)

Short description Morphology

Goose-sized; black overall; long neck and tail; has webbed feet that connects its four toes, allowing it to cling to rocky cliffs and feed on shoaling fish (Ref. 94965).

A coastal species found <50 km offshore (Ref. 356). Nests in the interior of the North American continent and along the coast (Ref. 63805); on unvegetated, rocky outcroppings (Ref. 95237). Are common to abundant winter residents in freshwater and estuarine habitats in the state of Texas (Ref. 95239). Started to colonize the Great Lakes at the beginning of this century, on Lake Superior in 1913-20, and Lake Huron in 1932, returning each season and nesting from April until late September where they form dense colonies in trees or on the ground on small rocky islands. Lake Ontario supported 24% of the breeding population in 1991, and the largest colony of 5,428 nests on Little Galloo Island. Most begin to breed at 3 years of age (Ref. 95240). An opportunistic feeder (Ref. 95224). Exhibits plunge diving (Ref. 356). Generally preys on fish, often feeding in shallow waters (Ref. 95238). Feeds in river estuaries; on out-migrating juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the Columbia Basin (Ref. 95220); on alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and southeastern catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) (Ref. 95237); on crayfish (Orconectes sp.) (Ref. 95238); on shad (Dorosoma spp.) and sunfishes (Lepomis spp.) (Ref. 60211); on striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) and Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) in Lavaca Bay; striped mullet and Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta) in upper Laguna Madre; typically targetting benthic fish or small schooling fishes and forage species (Ref. 95239). Average flight speed recorded at 61 km/h. (Ref. 95241). Preyed on by the bald eagle, Haliateeus leucocephalus (Ref. 95220).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Lepage, D. 2007. (Ref. 7816)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 09 August 2018

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

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Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items

Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance

References
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 4.5 - 28.1, mean 12.2 (based on 1418 cells).

Resilience (Ref. 69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=9.28-23.13).

Phalacrocorax auritus (Lesson, 1831)