Pelagic Cormorant
Urile pelagicus
Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 1.8 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
- Genus Urile
- Species pelagicus
Where it lives
Coastal Arctic to subtropical North Pacific Ocean, from northeastern Siberia to northern Japan (western North Pacific) and Aleutian Is. to northern Baja California (eastern North Pacific)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.8 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pelagic Cormorant hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Pelagic Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family of the order Suliformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO coastal Arctic to subtropical North Pacific Ocean, from ne Siberia to n Japan (w North Pacific) and Aleutian Is. to n Baja California (e North Pacific).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.8 kg, with a wing length of about 25.4 cm and a tail of around 13.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pelagic Cormorant?
The Pelagic Cormorant is a very large bird that weighs around 1.8 kg.
Where does the Pelagic Cormorant live?
The Pelagic Cormorant is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO coastal Arctic to subtropical North Pacific Ocean, from ne Siberia to n Japan (w North Pacific) and Aleutian Is. to n Baja California (e North Pacific), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Pelagic Cormorant belong to?
The Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Pelagic Cormorant eat?
The Pelagic Cormorant hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Pelagic Cormorant migrate?
The Pelagic Cormorant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pelagic Cormorant endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pelagic Cormorant make?
1 real field recording of the Pelagic Cormorant — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pelagic Cormorant's range?
The Pelagic Cormorant has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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