Brandt's Cormorant

Urile penicillatus (Brandt, JF, 1837)

2.2 kgWeight

Brandt's cormorant (Urile penicillatus) is a strictly marine bird of the cormorant family of seabirds that inhabits the Pacific coast of North America.

Busiest months: September and November · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Brandt's Cormorant has been recorded at 80 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Southeast Farallon IslandUnited States16,742 records
Pt. Pinos – seawatch onlyUnited States15,983 records
Pillar Point HarborUnited States9,669 records

More places

Rodeo LagoonUnited States5,751 records
Moss Landing – Jetty Road, north jetty & State BeachUnited States5,557 records
Pt. PinosUnited States5,126 records
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWRUnited States3,841 records
Fort MasonUnited States3,193 records
Natural Bridges SBUnited States2,894 records
Point No PointUnited States2,644 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Canada Mexico

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

Brandt's cormorant (Urile penicillatus) is a strictly marine bird of the cormorant family of seabirds that inhabits the Pacific coast of North America. It ranges, in the summer, from Alaska to the Gulf of California, but the population north of Vancouver Island migrates south during the winter. Its specific name, penicillatus is Latin for a painter's brush (pencil of hairs), in reference to white plumes on its neck and back during the early breeding season.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Brandt's Cormorant?

The Brandt's Cormorant weighs around 2.2 kg.

Where does the Brandt's Cormorant live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: temperate eastern North Pacific coast: southeastern Alaska to southwestern Baja California and central Gulf of California (northwestern Mexico). It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Brandt's Cormorant?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September and November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Brandt's Cormorant endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Brandt's Cormorant as Least Concern.

What does the Brandt's Cormorant eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Brandt's Cormorant in?

It belongs to the family Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae), order Suliformes.

At a glance

Weight: 2.2 kg
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: On the water surface
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 281 mm
Tail: 115 mm
Bill: 76 mm
Tarsus: 66 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, Middle America: temperate eastern North Pacific coast: southeastern Alaska to southwestern Baja California and central Gulf of California (northwestern Mexico)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2