White-breasted Cormorant

White -breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus )

The White -breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus ) is an African subspecies of the great cormorant, which belongs to the family of Cormorants ( Phalacrocoracidae ). He is often regarded as a separate species (Phalacrocorax lucidus ).

Description

The typicaly black and shiny metallic White -breasted Cormorant is slightly smaller and more greenish than the Atlantic subspecies of the great cormorant ( P. c. Carbo). From the Central European subspecies ( P. c. Sinensis) it differs mainly by the characteristic white color, which is limited not only to the throat, but is also extended to the chest or abdomen. However, a dark morph occurs, which strongly on P. c. sinensis recalls. Male and female animals look the same, in young animals, the entire front is white. Breeding animals have a white spot on the thighs. Like all cormorants, the beak is hook-shaped. At the base there is a yellowish beak naked skin area.

Distribution and habitat

The White -breasted Cormorant is found throughout southern Africa, with the exception of the Kalahari region. Other populations are located on Lake Chad, Nigeria, Cape Verde Islands, the Red Sea and the coast of Guinea- Bissau. Its habitat, both the coastal and inland waters.

Swell

• JC Sinclair, Ian Sinclair, PAR Hockey, and WR Tarboton: Birds of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers in July 1997, ISBN 978-1-868-72033-0
• Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol 1.l Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 1994, ISBN 84-87334-15-6