Pelagic Cormorant

Urile pelagicus

Unlike many waterbirds, its plumage is not fully waterproof, allowing it to dive deeper and more efficiently by reducing positive buoyancy.

Scientific name

Urile pelagicus

Taxonomy

Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Suliformes › Phalacrocoracidae › Urile

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

decreasing

Biome

aquatic

Habitat

Rocky coastlines, coastal waters, bays, and offshore islands

Diet

Bottom-dwelling fish such as sculpins and gunnels, as well as crustaceans like crabs and shrimp

Range

North Pacific Ocean coasts, Alaska, Aleutian Islands, British Columbia, California, Kamchatka Peninsula, Japan

Size

65–80 cm long, with a wingspan of 100–120 cm

Lifespan

15–18 years

Active

diurnal

Threats

Oil spills, entanglement in gillnets and fishing gear, disturbance of nesting colonies, and fluctuations in prey availability caused by ocean warming

Safe to approach?

Harmless to humans. Maintain a distance of at least 50 meters, especially around cliffside nesting colonies, as flushing adults can cause eggs or chicks to fall from narrow ledges. If handling an injured bird, wear thick gloves and eye protection, as its hooked beak can deliver a painful pinch or bite.

The pelagic cormorant ( Urile pelagicus ), also known as Baird's cormorant or violet-green cormorant , is a small member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. Analogous to other smallish cormorants, it is also called the pelagic shag occasionally. This seabird lives along the coasts of the northern Pacific; during winter it can also be found in the open ocean. Pelagic cormorants have relatively short wings due to their need for economical movement underwater, and consequently have the highest flight...

Photo: Ken-ichi Ueda, CC-BY, via iNaturalist

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