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are large water birds with long slender necks,
a stiff, long tail and a
long hooked bill. They all live around water and dive for
fish. They belong to the
family of Phalacrocoracidae in the
order of Pelecaniformes with 37 species of cormorants
worldwide, found on all continents. Their closest relatives
are the Darters, Anhingas and Boobies. On
mainland Ecuador exist two species, the common Neotropic Cormorant, which is widespread in fresh
and saltwater habitats alike and an occasional wanderer from Peru,
the Guayna Shag. In Galapagos, on Fernandina and Isabela
islands lives the endemic Flightless Cormorant, a species,
which like
its name implies, lost its ability to fly but became a so much
more efficient diver. |
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Once cormorants (Neotropic
Cormorant featured in pictures)
catch their prey underwater, they bring it to the surface where they
juggle it to get it in the right position so it is easy to
swallow. On the surface they swim with most of their body submerged
and only the neck and head are visible (see photo left taken
in Puerto Pizarro, Peru). Cormorants are often seen perching in
large numbers in trees (see photo above taken in
Esmeraldas) where they
rest or spread their wings to dry them off after diving pursuits.
The
Neotropic Cormorant is also one specie which occasionally plunge dives (like boobies) to catch prey. |
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Cormorants
feed mainly on small fish but fresh water species may
catch also invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians. But all
species catch their prey underwater by diving or swimming for
them using
their large webbed feet
for propulsion. While diving their body is streamlined with
their wings folded close to their body. Some species reach depths of 45m on those underwater
pursuits. They consume the fish on the surface by swallowing the whole
animal. As they do that,
they later regurgitate the indigestible fish parts,
like bones in pellets as do unrelated birds,
like owls,
which also consume prey as a whole. |
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Neotropic (Jambeli) |
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The Flightless Cormorant is a
nice example of how evolution works. One flying cormorant
specie arrived
at Fernandina and Isabela and settled there to take advantage of
the abundant fish. As the water was nearby and no
predators were present, there was no real need anymore for
them to fly. Flying consumes energy and the wings are no help
for them underwater as they use exclusively their large webbed feet
as propulsion. |
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Flightless (Fernandina) |
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The Flightless
Cormorant may look awkward on land with its upright stance
supporting itself with the stiff tail. But under
water it is
a slick swimming machine, beautifully
streamlined and propelling itself with great speed by is large
webbed feet. They are so efficient in catching fish that
fisherman in Japan use them as fishing tools. They train
species of the Japanese or Great Cormorant to return or have them
tied to a line. To prevent them from swallowing the fish their necks
are restricted by
a strap. |
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As with other birds of the pelecaniforms, the male
brings the nesting material to the females, which then constructs
the stick nest
on the ground or in the trees. Females can lay up to 7 eggs
and both parents incubate. The hatching is
asynchronous, usually the latest hatched chicks are the smallest
and die after a few days and 1 to 3 chicks may make it to adulthood.
Both parents take care of the chick till they are ready to live on
their own. As whole cormorants are not considered
threatened and in some localities, authorities actually give
permission to eradicate them as they are seen to threaten
commercial fishing and marauding on fish farms.
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The Flightless
Cormorants nest in small colonies on Isabela and Fernandina
islands (photo taken at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, which is the
best visitor site in observing them). There are around 800 pairs
counted on the islands, dropping sometimes lower in events of El
Niño. Their nest is a scrape on the ground and they lay a
few eggs, from where the chicks hatch over several days. Very
seldom can all chicks be fed and the younger ones die eventually of
starvation. In this picture can be appreciated that one chick
is already well developed and will certainly make it to
adulthood but its small sibling below it, will depend on how
much food the parents are able to bring back. The older and stronger
one is always fed first and only if something is left over,
then the younger one gets its share too. |
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ECUADORIAN SPECIES : |
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Name |
Scientific |
Location |
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Neotropic Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax brasilianus |
Amazon & Coast (fresh & salt)
below 800m |
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Guayna Shag |
Phalacrocorax bougainvillii |
Southwestern Pacific Coast |
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Flightless Cormorant |
Nannopterum harrisi |
Galapagos (endemic on Fernandina & Isabela) |
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Birding Vocabulary |
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Pellets:
mass of
indigestible material (hair, bones, feathers, etc...)
regurgitated by birds which swallow live animal as a whole,
practiced also by owls, some raptors and herons |
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Endemic: bird species
only found in a restricted region and nowhere
else, like Galapagos Penguin and Flightless Cormorants which
live exclusively in Galapagos. |
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