Double-crested Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax auritus)

Summary

Picture of bird
© Jukka Jantunen (flickr.com/photos/jukka_jantunen)
For additional photos and vocalizations, visit Dendroica. (Link opens in a new window.)

The Double-crested Cormorant is the most abundant cormorant in Canada, and typically breeds on islands in both freshwater and marine environments. A variety of surveys provide strong evidence that Double-crested Cormorants have shown a large increase in abundance in Canada since the mid-1970s, and in some locations, these increases have been dramatic and accompanied by the establishment of new breeding colonies. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Listing of the main designations for the species
DesignationStatusDateSubspecies, population
IUCN (Global)Least Concern2012 
Wild Species (Canada)Secure2010 
Bird Conservation Region StrategyPriority Species2013 

Population status

Geographic areaStatusReliability
CanadaLarge IncreaseHigh
 

Population estimate

Canada400,000 - 500,000 breeding birds
 

Distribution maps

 

Migration strategy, occurrence

Short-distance migrant

Responsibility for conservation of world population

CanadaModerate

Conservation and management

Because of the substantial increases in the abundance of cormorants in recent decades, most management issues relate to conflicts with humans and degradation of habitat. Double-crested Cormorants are believed by some sport- and commercial-fishers to adversely affect fisheries. While cormorants feed opportunistically on fish, recreational and commercial fish-species do not make up a large portion of their diet (Dorr et al. 2014). Lethal and non-lethal control methods are routinely employed on cormorants that prey on fish at aquaculture facilities (Dorr et al. 2014). Nesting colonies are quickly denuded of vegetation, which can reduce their suitability for other breeding birds (Bedard et al. 1997).

 

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

  • conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
  • stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
  • management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
  • other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

BCRs, marine biogeographic units, and sub-regions in which the species is listed as a priority
RegionSub-region and priority type
Atlantic Northern ForestsAtlantic Northern Forests, sub-region and priority type: Quebec Region
Great BasinGreat Basin, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon Region
Northern Pacific RainforestNorthern Pacific Rainforest, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon Region
Northern RockiesNorthern Rockies, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon Region
 

References