- Phalacrocorax neglectus
Identification
Length 75-76 cm (29½-30 in), mass 1.5-2.4 kg; males larger than females. A large, robust, black cormorant.
Breeding adult: Plumage black with a white rump and white filoplumes on the sides of the head. A small crest on the forecrown gives the impression of a steep forehead and flat crown. The top half of the eye is orange brown, and the lower half is green or turquoise. The bill, eye-ring, bare gular pouch, legs and feet are black.
Non-breeding adult: Lacks white plumage, body browner.
Similar species
The Cape Cormorant is more slender and slightly smaller, with a thinner neck and thinner bill. It lacks the peaked forecrown and has an orange-yellow gular pouch.
Distribution
Coast of Namibia and western and southern coast of South Africa.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
They prefer inshore coastal waters.
Status
Classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List (BirdLife International, 2007).
Behaviour
Feeds on a variety of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. They forage mostly on the sea floor.
Breeding
A monogamous colony breeder. The nest is a large mound of seaweed and guano; built on rocks or man-made structures. One to four eggs are laid and incubated on top of the webbed feet of the adult for 28-32 days; both sexes incubate.
Threats while breeding include damage to eggs when incubating adults are disturbed, predation of eggs by Kelp Gulls, while adults are off the nest, and storm seas.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2016)
- BirdLife International (2007) Species factsheet: Phalacrocorax neglectus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 16/4/2008.
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Bank Cormorant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bank_Cormorant
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
