Pelagic Cormorant

Urile pelagicus (Pallas, 1811)

Pelagic Cormorant, Urile pelagicus, is a seabird of the northern Pacific coast, breeding from north-east Siberia and northern Japan across the North Pacific to the Aleutian Islands and northern Baja California. Outside the breeding season it ranges south to the Korean Peninsula and eastern China, and to western Baja California. It belongs to the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. A notable feature is its relatively short wings, which are linked to efficient movement underwater. It was described by Pallas in 1811.

Order

Suliformes

Family

Phalacrocoracidae — Cormorants, Shags

Breeding range

Pacific Ocean: 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)

Nonbreeding range

s to Korean Pen. and ec China (w North Pacific); to w Baja California (nw Mexico; e North Pacific)