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Urile pelagicus

(Pallas, 1811)

Pelagic Cormorant

G5Secure Found in 40 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103925
Element CodeABNFD01050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderSuliformes
FamilyPhalacrocoracidae
GenusUrile
Synonyms
Phalacrocorax pelagicusPallas, 1811
Other Common Names
Cormorán Pelágico (ES) Cormoran pélagique (FR)
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).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
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
BREEDS: from Chukchi Peninsula, Siberia, and Wrangel and Herald Islands in Arctic Ocean, south along Asian coast to northern Japan; also from Point Hope, Alaska, south locally to the Alaska Peninsula, including St. Lawrence and Diomede islands, west through the Aleutian and Commander islands, and eastward and southward from the Alaska Peninsula along the Pacific coast to northern Baja California (Johnsgard 1993). RANGES/WINTERS: from Aleutians and southern Alaska (or northern limits of open water) south to central Baja California; from Kamchatka south to China (AOU 1983).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Bays, inlets, and outer coastal areas, especially in rock-bottom habitats; often in water less than 100 m deep within 1-2 km of shore, though some (probably immatures and nonbreeding adults) may wander to much deeper waters. Nests on island cliff ledges and in crevices and on narrow cliff ledges along the coast, or in sea caves. Often nests with other species of cormorants, as well as near murres, common eiders, tufted puffins, and glaucous-winged gulls (Terres 1980). Colony site locations may shift abruptly from year to year (see Spendelow and Patton 1988).

Ecology

Corvids, large gulls, and raptors probably are the most important sources of egg and chick mortality in southern areas, whereas bald eagles, food, or weather may be more important in limiting productivity in northern areas; foxes and river otters may be locally important (Johnsgard 1993).

Reproduction

Egg laying occurs mid-April through June or early July in southern California, mid-May through early August (renesting) in British Columbia, late May through late June or early July in Gulf of Alaska. Both adults, in turn, incubate an average of 3-4 eggs for 27-37 days (average 30-32 days). Young are altricial, leave nest at 4+ to 8+ weeks (average 7 weeks). Single-brooded. Sexually mature at 2 or 3 years. Renesting rate after clutch loss may be low in some areas. Reproductive success may vary greatly from year to year within a single colony, depending on predation or food supply (see Johnsgard 1993). Nests in small colonies; less gregarious than other cormorant species.
Terrestrial Habitats
Bare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4B,N4N
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS3Yes
WashingtonS4B,S4NYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
AlaskaS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (40)
Alaska (37)
AreaForestAcres
CalderTongass National Forest9,857
ChichagofTongass National Forest555,858
Chilkat-West Lynn CanalTongass National Forest199,772
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-13Chugach National Forest13,337
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
CrystalTongass National Forest18,972
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
GravinaTongass National Forest37,381
Hoonah SoundTongass National Forest79,764
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
KekuTongass National Forest10,869
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
KosciuskoTongass National Forest64,134
MadanTongass National Forest68,553
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
North KruzofTongass National Forest33,146
North KupreanofTongass National Forest114,660
Outer IslandsTongass National Forest99,862
Port AlexanderTongass National Forest120,681
Prince William Sound Is.Chugach National Forest118,698
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
RevillaTongass National Forest29,298
Salmon BayTongass National Forest22,793
Sitka SoundTongass National Forest13,459
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
Soda BayTongass National Forest78,091
South KruzofTongass National Forest55,193
South KuiuTongass National Forest62,452
Suemez IslandTongass National Forest19,903
Taku-SnettishamTongass National Forest664,928
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Windham-Port HoughtonTongass National Forest161,952
WoewodskiTongass National Forest10,136
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue Creek Rare ISix Rivers National Forest12,134
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Jupiter RidgeOlympic National Forest10,148
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