The Farallon Cormorant 



No. 395 



Farallon Cormorant 



A. O. U. No. I20c. Phalacrocorax auritus albociliatus Ridgway. 



Synonyms. — Western Double-crested Cormorant. California Cor- 

 morant. Shag. 



Description. — Adults in breeding plumage: General color glossy greenish black, 

 the back and wings slaty brown, each feather bordered narrowly with greenish black; 

 a tuft of narrow filamentous feathers on each side of crown over and behind eye, all 

 black or all white or mixed black and white or wanting; tail of twelve feathers. Bill 

 yellow, blackening on culmen; gular sac and lores orange-yellow; eyelids and lining 

 of mouth lived blue; irides nile green; feet black. Adults in winter: Without crests; 

 less glossy; and colors of soft parts paler. Young male (2nd year?): Head, neck, 

 and forebreast grayish brown, lighter below and on sides; darker on crown and behind; 

 remaining underparts, lower back, etc., rich dark brown; back and wings much as in 

 adult; gular patch yellowish. Young female (2nd year?) and 1st year birds of both 

 sexes: Like preceding but still lighter; extensively brownish white below; back and 

 wings hoary grayish brown bordered by lighter brown (on scapulars and wing-coverts) 

 and brownish black. Length (av. of 10 California specimens from various localities): 

 778 (31.02); wing 332 (13.07); tail 160 (6.30); bill 58.8 (2.31); tarsus 66.9 (2.63). 



Recognition Marks. — Eagle size; black plumage; orange gular area best field 

 mark for species, birds of the year appearing whitish below. 



Nesting. — In colonies. Nest: A bulky structure of weathered sticks, slightly 

 hollowed and lined with bark, grass, or other soft materials; placed in trees (dead 

 mesquite), or on ground in commanding position on islet. Eggs: 3 to 5, 7 of record; 

 elliptical ovate or elongate ovate, pale bluish green, pale niagara green, overlaid 

 wholly and smoothly or partially and roughly by white calcareous layer. Av. size 

 62.5 x 41 (2.46 x 1. 61); index 65.6. Season: c. February 1st (Salton Sea), March, 

 April, May, according to latitude; one brood. 



Range of Phalacrocorax auritus. — North America, breeding from southern 

 Alaska, central Saskatchewan, southern Keewatin, and Newfoundland, south to 

 Honduras and the Socorro Islands; retiring from northern portions of range in winter, 

 in the East as far as North Carolina. - 



Range of P. a. albociliatus. — The southwestern coastal district of the United 

 States and Lower California. Breeds both coastwise and interiorly from Oregon and 

 western Nevada through California to Cape San Lucas and the Socorro Islands. Re- 

 tires from colder interior sections in winter. Casual (?) in Utah. 



Distribution in California. — Common resident both coastwise and upon the 

 larger lakes. Wanders freely up rivers and estuaries and appears at odd places upon 

 smaller reservoirs and ponds. Numbers considerably augmented in winter below 

 Point Conception. Definite breeding stations at Rhett Lake, Clear Lake (Lake Co.), 

 Eagle Lake, Tulare Lake, Buena Vista Lake, and Salton Sea, and on the coasts of the 

 Farallons, Seal Rocks (in 1912), Prince Islet (off San Miguel), Scorpion Harbor rocks, 

 Santa Cruz Island, Anacapa Island, Santa Barbara Island, and Ship Rock near 

 Santa Catalina. 



1937 



