Image via Macaulay Library
Pelagic Cormorant
- Scientific name
- Urile pelagicus
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Conservation status
- Least concern
- Habitat
- Aquatic ocean
- Wing shape
- Pointed
- Tail shape
- Pointed
Where it came from
The Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) is a species of seabird native to the northern Pacific coasts, ranging from the Bering Sea down to Baja California. It was formally described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1811 during his extensive research in the Russian Empire. The bird occupies a specific ecological niche, nesting on steep, rocky coastal cliffs and foraging in offshore pelagic waters, a behavioral adaptation that informed its common name.
The species' design is highly specialized for its environment, characterized by its slender, pointed wings and wedge-shaped, pointed tail. These physical traits distinguish it from other cormorants, allowing for high-speed flight and efficient maneuverability while hunting small fish in rough, open-water conditions. Ornithological studies have long focused on the bird's unique plumage, which displays a distinct iridescent sheen that shifts between purple and green depending on light conditions.
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About Pelagic Cormorant
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