Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus) 



The Pelagic Cormorant is the most ubiquitous 

 cormorant in California. These smallest of the 

 California cormorants can be seen during any 

 season in their rocky coastal feeding grounds, 

 where they propel themselves underwater with 

 their strong webbed feet in pursuit of fish and 

 shrimp (Robertson 1974, Hatler et al. 1978). 

 Clay (1911) reported that Pelagic Cormorants 

 are capable of diving to depths of up to 140 

 meters. 



Pelagic Cormorants nest in scattered groups 

 whose locations sometimes shift from one year to 

 the next (Benz and Garrett 1978, Nyse wander 

 and Harbour 1979). Situated anywhere from 

 hundreds of feet above the ocean 'to just within 

 the spray zone, they raise their young in platform 

 nests of seaweed built on small outcrops and 

 ledges. These cliffside colonies stand out because 

 of the summer whitewash they receive and can be 

 seen for great distances. 



Although Pelagic Cormorants are shy birds, 

 their nesting activities may be observed at a 

 judicious distance. One of the best locations in 

 the state for observing their breeding behavior is 

 Salt Point State Park (see Appendix B). 



Pelagic Cormorants are often found nesting 

 close to other cormorants. In these locations, 

 direct competition is apparently reduced by 

 staggered nesting chronologies and by differences 

 in nest site selection, behavior, and in selection of 

 food types, food sizes, and feeding locations 

 (Benz and Garrett 1978, Robertson 1974). 



CALIFORNIA COLONIES 



Pelagic Cormorants nest in suitable habitat 

 along the entire coast of California. Forty-four 

 percent of the California population nest on 

 offshore islands, while 56 percent nest on precip- 

 itous cliffs of the mainland. In some regions, 

 small groups of nesting Pelagic Cormorants are 

 scattered in a continuous band along the coast. In 

 these areas our designation of colonies has some- 

 times been arbitrary. That is, the limits of 

 colonies are often assumed for convenience to be 

 geographical landmarks such as coves or points of 

 land, and frequently long stretches of coastline 

 are included under a single colony number. For 

 example, the Triplett Gulch colony (404 021), 

 one of the largest listed in the catalog, encompasses 

 approximately two kilometers of coastline and 

 numerous offshore rocks. Fish Rocks colony 

 (404 003) on the other hand, although of similar 

 magnitude, consists of two discreet islands in this 

 same vicinity. 



Although Pelagic Cormorants occur through- 

 out the coastal region, certain areas of con- 

 centration stand out. Areas immediately north of 

 San Francisco have a disproportionately large 

 percentage of nesting birds, as do the - Farallon 

 Islands (429 012). Pelagic Cormorants occur in 

 decreasing numbers farther and farther south of 

 San Francisco to the southern terminus of their 

 nesting range. This California distribution may 

 reflect available nesting habitat or perhaps more 

 subtle oceanographic or biological factors. 



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