Red-faced cormorant

The adult bird has glossy plumage that is a deep greenish blue in colour, becoming purplish or bronze on the back and sides. In breeding condition it has a double crest, and white plumes on the flanks, neck and rump, and the bare facial skin of the lores and around the eyes is a bright orange or red, giving the bird its name; although the coloration is less vivid outside the breeding season, the red facial skin is enough to distinguish it from the otherwise rather similar Pelagic Cormorant. Its legs and feet are brownish black. Its wings ranges from 25 to 29 cm in extent, with females having on average about 5 cm shorter wings. Adults weigh between 1.5 and 2.3 kg, with females averaging 350g less than males.

The Red-faced cormorant is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Analysis of stomach contents suggests that the Red-faced Cormorant is mainly a bottom feeder, taking cottids especially. Adults have few predators, though river otters may attempt to take them, as will corvids of various species and Bald Eagles. Gulls and corvids are common predators on eggs and chicks. More

The Red-faced Cormorant occurs only in the cold seas along the Alaskan coast, west to the Aleutian and Commander islands. The population is vulnerable due to the small size and location of its range. Ecology Strictly a marine species, it prefers rough, rocky coastlines. Mainly a resident bird, but dispersing to nearby seas and south to Kurile Island and St. Michael Island, Alaska, with occasional stragglers to Japan. More

Red-faced Cormorant, breeding adult; Pribilof Is., AK; June Figure 1. Distribution of the Red-faced Cormorant in Alaska and northeastern Russia. The Red-faced Cormorant may be the least known of all North American species. It breeds in a narrow, latitudinally compressed band from the northern Sea of Japan, along the Kuril and Aleutian Island chain, and far east into the southeastern Gulf of Alaska. More

The Red-faced Cormorant is closely related to the Pelagic Cormorant P. pelagicus, which has a similar range, and like the Pelagic Cormorant is placed by some authors (e.g. Johnsgaard) in a genus Leucocarbo. Where it nests alongside the Pelagic Cormorant, the Red-faced Cormorant generally breeds the more successfully of the two species, and it is currently increasing in numbers, at least in the easterly parts of its range. More

The Red-faced Cormorant has a large range, estimated globally at 100,000 to 1,000,000 square kilometers. Native to China, Japan, Taiwan, the Russian Federation, the United States and Canada, this bird prefers neritic, intertidal, or coastal marine ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 200,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Red-faced Cormorant is Least Concern. More

Red-faced Cormorant: Range in North America restricted to coastal Alaska. Prefers rocky coasts for both feeding and breeding habitat. Breeding and Nesting Red-faced Cormorant: Monogamous nester of coastal Alaska and northeast Asia. Small flocks or colonies nest on steep and rocky mainland cliffs or islands. Female and male build nest of seaweed, grass, and ocean debris on rocky ledge. Female lays three or four pale blue eggs. Both sexes incubate for 31 to 38 days, and rear altricial young. More

The Red-faced Cormorant’s range in North America extends throughout the Aleutian Islands, Pribilof Islands, and a few sites in the Gulf of Alaska and Norton Sound. It also breeds in southeast Kamchatka, Russia, Commander Islands, Kuril Island, to northern Japan. It is resident throughout its range. More

Red-faced Cormorant in nest with egg - Alaska. Aleutian and Pribilof Islands. Red-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax urile). More

Red-faced Cormorant (with Common and Thick-billed Murres) St. More

The Pelagic Cormorant and the Red-faced Cormorant are two of the three species of cormorants that nest in Alaska. They differ from the third cormorant species, the Double-crested Cormorant, in that they are strictly marine birds. Cormorants are part of a large family of seabirds that includes pelicans, boobies, tropicbirds, and frigatebirds. They are diving birds that use their large webbed feet to swim underwater in search of food. More