Red face pod
| Red face pod | ||||||||||||
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Red-faced shag ( Phalacrocorax pelagicus ) in breeding dress |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Phalacrocorax urile | ||||||||||||
| ( Gmelin , 1789) |
The red-faced shag ( Phalacrocorax urile ) is a species of bird in the genus Phalacrocorax within the cormorant family. The blue-black colored species inhabits the coasts of the northern Pacific from Japan to Alaska . It breeds in small colonies and feeds primarily on fish and crabs . The IUCN leads the kind as not endangered ( least concern ).
Appearance
Red-faced scars reach a head-trunk length of 71 to 89 centimeters and a wingspan of a maximum of 122 centimeters. The weight is between 1644 and 2552 grams. The species shows a sexual dimorphism , the males are on average slightly larger than the females. The animals of the Japanese population are also smaller than those living in the Aleutian Islands and southern Alaska.
Adult birds resemble the closely related guinea pig in appearance , but are larger and have more red facial skin. The beak is black at the tip, yellowish on the sides and is light gray towards the head, at the base it has a blue spot. Like the red-faced punt, the red-faced pod also has two scoops on its head and neck, but these are longer and stronger than the first-mentioned species. The white feathers on the neck and flanks that exist during the breeding season are molted after breeding , the birds are then uniformly black .
Young birds are dark brown on the back and neck, and light brown on the belly and throat. The skin of the face is not yet colored red, but brown, and the beak is still gray.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the red-faced shag extends in the northern Pacific from Hokkaidō , Japan , over the Aleutians to southern Alaska . Particularly high stand densities are achieved in the area of kelp forests . The species lives purely marine and mainly inhabits rocky coasts and islands.
food
The main components of the diet are small fish and crabs . Red-faced shags prefer waters with rocky subsoil and kelp forests for hunting, but unlike the common sea pigeon in the same habitat, they look for food almost exclusively near the ground. Like all cormorants, the species prefers to catch its prey by diving by following and catching it while swimming underwater.
Since the plumage of the red-faced pint absorb water, it must be dried after a dive. Like most cormorants, the species spreads its wings and lets the sun or wind dry its plumage.
Breeding behavior
The breeding season begins between May and June; the Japanese population starts breeding a little earlier due to the more favorable climatic conditions. The species breeds in small colonies that are often found in those of other seabird species. Preferred nesting sites are cliffs and ledges on which a nest consisting primarily of algae and grass is built. This is padded with feathers and solidified with excrement. The size of the clutch can be between 3 and 7 eggs. The breeding period is about 25 days. The chicks, which are bare after hatching, grow black down after a few days . The young birds fledge about 60 days after hatching.
Migratory behavior
The species is a resident bird in the southern part of the range , it only comes to dismigration of young birds after the breeding season . The northern population moves south in winter and can also reach Japanese waters.
Systematics
As with all cormorants, the exact systematic position of the species is disputed. Some scientists place the species in the genus Stictocarbo , but this view is not widely accepted. No subspecies are distinguished.
Hazard and protection
The IUCN leads the kind as not endangered ( least concern ). The species has a wide range and suffers less than other seabirds from overfishing for schooling fish such as sardines and herring . The numerous colonies are often in poorly developed and inhospitable areas and therefore do not threaten to be destroyed by human influence.
literature
- Josep del Hoyo , Andrew Elliot, Jordi Sargatal : Handbook of the birds of the world. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 1992, ISBN 84-87334-10-5 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ urile urile in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2011th
