Crested Cormorant or Phalacrocorax aristotelis (Lat.), Is the smallest of all the species.This amazing bird special distinctive habits.They are unique in their method of fishing, as well as making various poses during the mating period.But there are similar features that define all the cormorants.For example, a-nest, place of residence and others.
Description
great help to familiarize yourself with the look of the crested cormorant, photos.They can be seen in this article.The bird is the smallest among all the cormorants.The length of its body does not exceed 80 cm and the wingspan - meters.The weight of the birds never gaining more than 2 kilograms, even during the period of abundant and affordable food.
Black cormorants have the appropriate shade of plumage with greenish tint.In the mating season, and during the time the birds nesting appearance changes - on its head there is a small tuft of feathers that rise up.
Cormorants have long beak.First he shades of pink and yellow towards the end.The skin around the eyes emerald, however, it is near the base of the beak yellow.
abdomen is dark, but only in adults.Young males and females are lighter.In addition, the chicks may be different shades of the primary feathers, which is never observed in adult cormorants.
Distribution
Globally crested cormorant lives wherever there is a sea coast.Unlike other similar and related species, it will not be able to live near water with fresh water.It is distributed throughout the Atlantic coast up to the Iberian Peninsula.It can also be found on the south-west Africa.
on the territory of the Russian Federation cormorants are found on the Kola Peninsula, as well as the north and east of the Black Sea.Around this pond on the rock Sail is a critical point data type.Generally, the bird can be found across the southern part of Russia.
crested cormorant can be seen also in the Crimea.Some coasts they normally are very close to the man, and have the opportunity to see them in person, and quite close.
Power
Talking about what cormorants feed on, you first need to consider the way of catching food.He is diving.Therefore, if the water is heavily polluted, the Cormorant to get their food simply can not.
bird feeds mainly on fish.Usually this gerbil, smarida, wrasse and the like.Very rarely, when the Cormorant is hungry, he can afford to eat a small crustacean animal.But on a regular basis to feed them, he could not, because the digestive system can not cope.
Reproduction During the mating season becomes a very beautiful crested cormorant, a photo can attest.A bird's nest in rocky crevices or ledges with a canopy.They create them out of twigs and dried seaweed.Their nests are quite massive, it is done in order to hatch the kids feel comfortable.
mating season begins in mid-spring, at least - in March.In one clutch can be up to 5 eggs pale blue.The process of incubation lasts about a month, after which the chicks are born without feathers and with dark skin.They are also blind eyes will be opened only after 2 weeks.
Plumage babies appear on the 20th day.First, it is fluff.Then he gradually replaced by coarser feathers.
Six weeks later the chicks fledge and is fully ready to leave the nest to.Although the egg-laying can reach 5 pieces of chicks is less than a maximum three.Fully fly they start in 3-4 months.
During the period of breeding adults will not fly off away from the colony.Therefore, in order to feed themselves, they need to have fish close to the shore.This factor has a negative impact on the preservation of the species.
Lifestyle
Crested Cormorant is not the bird, which has a solitary lifestyle.It usually settles colonies.The ideal habitat - rocky sea coast.But cormorants do not give up in order to establish colonies on the small islands.
wintering bird goes into the sea, in the vicinity of the nest.Usually the cormorants do not fly inland, but sometimes it happens.On land, they simply will not be able to feed themselves, so there is no sense to retreat far from the sea.
If the bird finds the right conditions for the stay, it will never start to look for another option.This means that cormorants are sedentary.Their migration and nomadism may be due only to the fact that the body of water is too dirty.
Crested Cormorant in many countries is an endangered species.This is due not only to the fact that the earlier a bird caught in large quantities.The fact that the habitats vary according to climatic and temperature conditions.Some food is not enough, again due to human activities.Therefore, you must make every effort to save this species.
