The bank cormorant (Phalacrocorax neglectus), also known as Wahlberg's cormorant, is a medium-sized cormorant that is endemic to Namibia and the western seaboard of South Africa, living in and around coastal waters; it is rarely recorded more than 15 km offshore.
The bank cormorant is a heavy-bodied bird, roughly 75 cm in length. It is generally black in appearance with a bronze sheen, though the wings are a dark brown rather than a true black. Adults have a small crest on their heads, and normally have a white rump. Pale eyes in an all black face are considered to be distinctive for adults, with immature birds having dark eyes.[2]
Ecologyedit
A prime food for these birds is the cape rock lobsterJasus lalandii, and their feeding distribution closely matches the kelp beds where these lobsters live, though the birds will also take a variety of other crustacean and fish prey, notably bearded gobySufflogobius bibarbatus.
The birds may breed at any time of the year, laying two or three chalky-white eggs in a nest constructed from seaweed and guano.
Conservationedit
Nesting in captivity
Numbers of these birds have been declining sharply in recent decades, partly because of commercial fishing for bearded goby, partly because of increasing human disturbance, and partly because numbers of kelp gulls have been increasing because of human provisioning, and the gulls are active predators on the cormorant eggs and chicks. The world population is probably now around 4,000 birds. The most important population centres are in Mercury Island and Ichaboe Island in Namibia.
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2018). "Phalacrocorax neglectus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22696766A132592007. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22696766A132592007.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Princeton Illustrated Checklists-Birds of Southern Africa-Ber Van Perlo, 1999
Bank Cormorant - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
April 13, 2024
bank, cormorant, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, december, 2009, learn, when, remove, this, template, message,. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message The bank cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus also known as Wahlberg s cormorant is a medium sized cormorant that is endemic to Namibia and the western seaboard of South Africa living in and around coastal waters it is rarely recorded more than 15 km offshore Bank cormorantConservation statusEndangered IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder SuliformesFamily PhalacrocoracidaeGenus PhalacrocoraxSpecies P neglectusBinomial namePhalacrocorax neglectus Wahlberg 1855 resident range Contents 1 Description 2 Ecology 3 Conservation 4 References 5 External linksDescription editThe bank cormorant is a heavy bodied bird roughly 75 cm in length It is generally black in appearance with a bronze sheen though the wings are a dark brown rather than a true black Adults have a small crest on their heads and normally have a white rump Pale eyes in an all black face are considered to be distinctive for adults with immature birds having dark eyes 2 Ecology editA prime food for these birds is the cape rock lobster Jasus lalandii and their feeding distribution closely matches the kelp beds where these lobsters live though the birds will also take a variety of other crustacean and fish prey notably bearded goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus The birds may breed at any time of the year laying two or three chalky white eggs in a nest constructed from seaweed and guano Conservation edit nbsp Nesting in captivityNumbers of these birds have been declining sharply in recent decades partly because of commercial fishing for bearded goby partly because of increasing human disturbance and partly because numbers of kelp gulls have been increasing because of human provisioning and the gulls are active predators on the cormorant eggs and chicks The world population is probably now around 4 000 birds The most important population centres are in Mercury Island and Ichaboe Island in Namibia References edit BirdLife International 2018 Phalacrocorax neglectus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22696766A132592007 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22696766A132592007 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Princeton Illustrated Checklists Birds of Southern Africa Ber Van Perlo 1999External links editBirdLife Species Factsheet Species report from the Animal Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town Bank Cormorant Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bank cormorant amp oldid 1166406705, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
