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Home/Species/ Neotropic Cormorant

Nannopterum brasilianum

(Gmelin, 1789)

Neotropic Cormorant

G5Secure Found in 12 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101652
Element CodeABNFD01030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderSuliformes
FamilyPhalacrocoracidae
GenusNannopterum
Synonyms
Phalacrocorax brasilianus(Gmelin, 1789)Phalacrocorax olivaceus
Other Common Names
Biguá-Una (PT) Cormorán Oliváceo (ES) Cormoran vigua (FR) Olivaceus Cormorant (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Urile and Nannopterum were formerly synonymized with Phalacrocorax (e.g., AOU 1983, 1998), but genetic data (Kennedy and Spencer 2014, Kennedy et al. 2019) show deep divergences within Phalacrocorax largely congruent with differences based on osteological data (Worthy 2011 (AOS 2021). Formerly known as the olivaceous cormorant, P. olivaceus (see AOU 1991, Browning 1989, Banks and Browning 1995).
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-20
Change Date1996-11-20
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Range Extent Comments
Resident from Sonora, southern New Mexico, coastal Texas (north to around Dallas), and southwestern Louisiana south through Middle and South America; also Cuba and Bahamas. Casual or accidental in various localities north of main range.
Threat Impact Comments
See King (1989) for information on contamination with DDE and PCB in Texas.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Rivers, lakes, marshes, and seacoasts. Prefers shallow clear water at low elevations (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Also occurs in montain streams and alpine lakes in South America. Nests on coastal islands, and around inland lakes, reservoirs, ponds; in living or dead trees or bushes, 1-7 m above water, mostly in tallest available trees or shrubs. Also on rocks or bare ground where woody vegetation lacking. In Louisiana, most nesting occurred in heronries.

Ecology

Sociable, but more often alone or in pairs along forested rivers (Hilty and Brown 1986). Typically forages singly. In Argentina, young dispersed mainly within 650 km of natal site (see Johnsgard 1993). In Texas, raccoons and boat-tailed grackles prey on eggs and young.

Reproduction

In Texas, egg records extend from early February to mid-October, with a peak between April and August (Johnsgard 1993). Breeding is nearly complete by late June in Colombia; some nesting begins in April in Panama (Hilty and Brown 1986). Clutch size is 2-6 (reportedly usually 4 but mean 2.9 in Texas). Incubation averages about 24-25 days. Young are tended by both sexes (Palmer 1962), independent by 12 weeks. Renests if clutch is lost. In Texas, 43% of chicks fledged (see Johnsgard 1993).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
LouisianaS4Yes
TexasS4BYes
ArizonaSNRB,S1NYes
New MexicoS3B,S4NYes
ArkansasS1Yes
Roadless Areas (12)
Arizona (7)
AreaForestAcres
Arnold MesaPrescott National Forest12,286
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bunker CreekDixie National Forest7,474
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