Neotropic Cormorant

Phalacrocorax brasilianusOrder: PELECANIFORMESFamily: Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)

Breeding Location:

Lakes, Marshes, Ponds

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial

Breeding Population:

Common in range

Egg Color:

Pale blue, nest stained

Number of Eggs:

2 - 6

Incubation Days:

23 - 26

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Sticks, twigs, leaves, grass

Migration:

Most do not migrate

Overview

Neotropic Cormorant: Small, long-tailed cormorant. Black upper and lowerparts may show blue gloss. Long hooked yellow-gray bill with yellow "v" shaped gular pouch edged in white. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on fish, crustaceans and amphibians. Flies low over water with strong rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Neotropic Cormorant: Fairly common in U.S. range. Found primarily in Louisiana, Texas, and along the Rio Grande valley into New Mexico. Inhabits saltwater bays and inlets, and freshwater lakes and ponds.

Breeding and Nesting

Neotropic Cormorant: Monogamous and colonial. Male chooses nest site and brings materials to female who builds nest in the fork of a tree, rarely on ground. Nest is made of sticks, twigs, grasses, and leaves. Both sexes incubate two to six pale blue eggs for 23 to 26 days and tend young who become independent around 11 weeks.

Foraging and Feeding

Neotropic Cormorant: Feeds on variety of fish, frogs, tadpoles and other aquatic organisms. Dives in pursuit of prey from water's surface. The only cormorant known to occasionally plunge dive from above water's surface. Cooperative feeding has also been documented.

Vocalization

Neotropic Cormorant: Usually silent away from breeding grounds. Low croaks and hippo-like grunts "r'rauh", "ruuh-aah."

Similar Species

Neotropic Cormorant: Double-crested Cormorant is larger and heavier looking, has a shorter tail, a yellow-orange throat pouch, and a green sheen on head, neck, and underparts. Brandt's Cormorant is seen on the West Coast, has a shorter tail, and a blue throat pouch during breeding season.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Neotropic Cormorant

● Song: "r'rauh", "ruuh'aah"

● Foraging & Feeding: Neotropic Cormorant: Feeds on variety of fish, frogs, tadpoles and other aquatic organisms. Dives in pursuit of prey from water's surface. The only cormorant known to occasionally plunge dive from above water's surface. Cooperative feeding has also been documented.

● Breeding & nesting: Neotropic Cormorant: Monogamous and colonial. Male chooses nest site and brings materials to female who builds nest in the fork of a tree, rarely on ground. Nest is made of sticks, twigs, grasses, and leaves. Both sexes incubate two to six pale blue eggs for 23 to 26 days and tend young who become independent around 11 weeks.

● Similar species: Neotropic Cormorant: Double-crested Cormorant is larger and heavier looking, has a shorter tail, a yellow-orange throat pouch, and a green sheen on head, neck, and underparts. Brandt's Cormorant is seen on the West Coast, has a shorter tail, and a blue throat pouch during breeding season.

Flight Pattern

Strong direct flight with powerful rapid wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Neotropic Cormorant: Fairly common in U.S. range. Found primarily in Louisiana, Texas, and along the Rio Grande valley into New Mexico. Inhabits saltwater bays and inlets, and freshwater lakes and ponds.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationCommon in range

^MigrationMost do not migrate

^Weight44.8 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America