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Wildlife
- Birds - |
Double-crested Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax auritus) M, B |
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RANGE: Breeds in the southeastern Bering Sea, southern Alaska,
and from southwestern British Columbia and northern Alberta to
Newfoundland south along Atlantic and Pacific Coasts; very
locally throughout interior of North America. Winters along the
Pacific Coast from the Aleutian Islands and southern Alaska
south to Baja California and Guerrero; on the Atlantic Coast
from New England south; in the Mississippi and Rio Grande
Valleys; and along the Gulf Coast south to Central America.
STATUS: Widespread and locally common.
HABITAT: Inhabits coastal areas, bays, estuaries, marine
islands, freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, sloughs, and swamps.
(Only cormorant likely to be seen inland around freshwater lakes
and rivers.) Has a pronounced preference for perching in trees,
on rocks, buoys, or other objects that overhang or project from
the water.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Undisturbed nesting site and
convenient, dependable food source within a foraging radius of 5
to 10 miles from roost or colony.
NEST: Nests in colonies of a few to 3,500 pairs on rocky
islands, cliffs facing water, or in stands of live or dead trees
in or near water. In the Northeast and along the Pacific Coast,
nests on the ground, on rocky islands, or on cliffs. Inland and
in Florida, usually nests in trees. Breeding colonies may be
located from below sea level to over 5,600 feet.
FOOD: Captures food during dives in water, generally 5 to 25
feet deep but sometimes up to 72 feet deep. Prefers to hunt in
water with a sandy bottom rather than over a rocky or gravelly
bottom. Consumes primarily saltwater fish of little commercial
value, plus freshwater yellow perch, bullheads, sticklebacks,
carp, crappies, and sunfish. Also eats some salamanders,
crustaceans, reptiles, mollusks, and sea worms.
REFERENCES: Palmer 1962, Stallcup in Farrand 1983a, Terres 1980. |
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