Pelagic Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Phalacrocorax pelagicus

30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
971 Verified records at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The pelagic cormorant (Urile pelagicus), also known as Baird's cormorant or violet-green cormorant, is a small member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. Analogous to other smallish cormorants, it is also called the pelagic shag occasionally. This seabird lives along the coasts of the northern Pacific; during winter it can also be found in the open ocean. Pelagic cormorants have relatively short wings due to their need for economical movement underwater, and consequently have the highest flight costs of any bird. It was formerly classified in the genus Phalacrocorax, but a 2014 study supported reclassifying it and several other Pacific cormorant species into the genus Urile. The IOC followed this classification in 2021. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Pelagic Cormorant sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 971 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalacrocorax auritus

10–20% · With luck
Townsend's Cormorant
LC

Townsend's Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Urile penicillatus

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

50–60
Jan
60–70
Feb
40–50
Mar
30–40
Apr
30–40
May
20–30
Jun
20–30
Jul
20–30
Aug
40–50
Sep
40–50
Oct
40–50
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
70–80%
2 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
3 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
4 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
5 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
6 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
7 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Pelagic Cormorant in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?

About 37% of wildlife watchers report a Pelagic Cormorant sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 971 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Pelagic Cormorant in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?

February has the highest sighting rate for Pelagic Cormorant in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in our monthly data.

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