Rock Shag
Felsenscharbe (Phalacrocorax magellanicus )
The Felsenscharbe (Phalacrocorax magellanicus ) is a medium sized, mono typical representative of the family of cormorants. The species is endemic to the south of South America.
The IUCN classifies the Felsenscharbe as an uncritical ( least concern ), since the range of such cormorant is very large. The population trend is not known with sufficient precision, but there is no cause of a significant population decline can be assumed. The global population is estimated at 96000-180000 mature individuals.
Appearance
The Felsenscharbe reaches a body length of 66-71 inches. The wing length is 23.3 to 25.8 inches. Males tend to be slightly larger than the females. Within its range the Felsenscharbe is to be confused with any other species.
The plumage is on the top of greenish- black, the head and neck are black in summer, in winter plumage on chin, throat and fore neck is white. The featherless skin on the face and the throat is red, the feet are flesh-colored. The beak is black and curved at the tip sharp hook-shaped. During the breeding season the Felsenscharbe wears long white feathers on the head and neck as well as some white feathers on rear back and flanks. The plumage of birds nichtbrütender is somewhat duller and browner.
Juveniles are initially feathered almost completely dark brown, only on the belly there are white plumage games. The naked skin of face is with them still black. The legs are brownish with them.
Distribution area
The Felsenscharbe is spread north along the western coast of South America to the island of Chiloé and the Falkland Islands. One of the main distribution points include the coast of Tierra del Fuego and the Magellan beach. In the Falkland Islands the Felsenscharbe a widespread kind is during the winter half- year, the pull Felsenscharben South America to north- eastern Argentina and Uruguay. With the population on the Falkland Islands are resident birds.
Way of life
Felsenscharben eat small fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. Your food you are looking for in relatively shallow water and prefer it places near the coast, where the sea floor is covered with a dense kelp. Your dive they conduct each one with a forward jump, in which the body first turns up out of the water. Proceed individually or in pairs in search of food. They are, however, colony breeders and also during the rest they seek the company of other dogs. In the breeding colonies are occasionally associated with the Blauaugenscharbe. The nests are built of grass and alluvial Tang. In the Falkland Islands, the nests can usually find on the ledges steep cliffs at a height of at least six meters above the sea level. The colony size includes six to several hundred pairs, but individually breeding pairs are occasionally observed. The clutch consists of two to five greenish- white eggs.