The First Record of Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) in British Columbia. By Rick Toochin and E. Allan Russell. Published: July 29, 2023.

The Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) is the only tropical cormorant found in the North, Central and South America (Telfair II and Morrison 2022). This species is a breeding resident throughout lowland South America up to 4,000 m with birds occasionally found at 5,000 m in the Andes (Orta et al. 2014), and in Aruba (Wells and Wells 2017). The population is largely resident in Central America to northwestern Mexico (Howell and Webb 2010), and north to Gulf Coast of United States from Texas to Louisiana (Orta et al. 2014), with inland breeding colonies established in Louisiana, Mississippi Delta, southern Florida, southwestern Arkansas, southeastern and north-central Oklahoma, central Kansas, eastern South Dakota, southern New Mexico, south-central Arizona, and southern, eastern, north-central, and western Texas (Telfair II and Morrison 2022). The Neotropic Cormorant is also found in the West Indies; its a common resident in Cuba, Isle of Youth (American Ornithologists' Union 1998), and on the islands if the southern Bahamas (White 1998), especially on Great Inagua (Brudenell-Bruce 1975), but also on New Providence (White et al. 1994) and San Salvador (American Ornithologists' Union 1998, e-Bird 2023)

 

The Neotropic Cormorant winter range overlaps and is similar to the breeding range, though populations above 27°N reported to move southward, and high-altitude populations move to lowlands (Oberholser 1974, Orta et al. 2014). Non-breeding birds occur in southern Baja California (American Ornithologists' Union 1998). Away from resident populations in southern Bahamas, non-breeding birds also occur on Long Island (Buden 1992), Great Exuma, Cat Island, Eleuthra (Connor et al. 1985), New Providence, Paradise (White et al. 1994), Andros, and Abaco (American Ornithologists' Union 1998, Norton 1997, Norton 2000a, Norton 2000b, Hallett 2006, Raffaele et al. 2010, e-Bird 2023). Known to wander in the Greater Antilles to Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and Dominican Republic, and in the Lesser Antilles to St. Barthélemy, Dominica, and the Virgin Islands (Bond 1971, Raffaele 1979, American Ornithologists' Union 1998, Raffaele et al. 2010, e-Bird 2023). Common year-round, nonbreeding resident to inland and coastal waters of Trinidad, occasionally Tobago (Kenefick et al. 2011). Additional records as far south as Isla Hornos and Islas Diego Ramírez in southernmost Chile (e-Bird 2023).

 

Range in North America is rapidly expanding northward (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). This species is now uncommon in southern Arizona, with small numbers occurring in southern California (Dunn and Alderfer 2011, Teitz and McCaskie 2017). The Neotropic Cormorant is a casual wanderer to southern coastal California north to Utah, the northern Great Plains, the Great Lakes region and to the mid-Atlantic seaboard (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). 

The identification of the Neotropic Cormorant is covered in all standard North America field guides. This species is small measuring 66 cm in length, with a wingspan of 102 cm, and weighing 1200 grams (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). Adults are identified by an emerald, green eye, grayish bill, and a pale-yellow gular (throat) pouch with a pronounced white 'V' of feathers outlining the pouch (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). 

 

Breeding adult (Definitive Alternate Plumage) develops small patch of white filoplumes (thin feathers) along sides of head (most postauricular), sides of neck and ventral region neck, giving streaked appearance (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). Otherwise, adult body plumage (Definitive Basic Plumage) entirely black except for slight dark-greenish gloss to upper wings and back (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). Juvenile shows a yellower bill and brown body feathering, which gradually gets replaced with black over the first 2 years of life. Sexes are alike in all plumages (Telfair II and Morrison 2022). 

 

In flight, neck about as long as tail (Sibley 2000). Voice "low, short, frog-like grunts and baritone croaking" (Sibley 2000).

 

The Neotropic Cormorant often occurs with the Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum), especially in winter, and is sometimes confused with that species. The larger Double-crested Cormorant measures 84 cm in length, with a wingspan of 132 cm, and weighs 1,700 grams (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). Besides the overall body size, the shape and color of gular pouch are most reliable distinguishing marks in the field (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The adult Double-crested Cormorant’s pouch is much larger; rounded rather than V-shaped in posterior profile; bright orange yellow; and proportionally about as large as remainder of head. In addition, at a distance, tail length of Neotropic Cormorant is noticeably longer in proportion to body length than that of Double-crested Cormorant (Telfair II and Morrison 2022). 

 

In flight, the Neotropic Cormorant appears evenly balanced in profile (tail extending as far behind the wings as the head and neck extend in front); in contrast, the Double-crested Cormorant appears unbalanced in profile (shorter tail extending behind the wings in proportion to longer head and neck extending in front), thus appearing front-heavy (Telfair II and Morrison 2022).

 

Separation of juveniles is more problematic, partly because gular pouches are duller in color at this age (Telfair II and Morrison 2022). Best distinguishing feature in immature plumages is size and shape as described above, and color of supraloral area (patch of skin above lores, between eyes and bill): brighter (yellow orange) in Double-crested Cormorant, darker in Neotropic Cormorant (Telfair II and Morrison 2022).

 

The Neotropic Cormorant is a new accidental species to the avia-fauna of British Columbia. An 

adult bird in breeding plumage was found by Rick Toochin and Al Russell as it flew low down the Fraser River in the direct company of 2 adult breeding plumaged Double-crested Cormorants, along the Matsqui Trail in Abbotsford on May 20, 2023: (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). The bird was well seen, clearly smaller, with pointed wings, a small bent neck, and long, thin tail about the same length as the neck extension, but clearly smaller to the larger nearby Double-crested Cormorants (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). Despite checking all along the river down into Langley the birds were never relocated over the next few days (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). Though a first record, the record itself is not surprising given the rapid expansion northward the Neotropic Cormorant has undergone in the past 10 years. This species should be watched for in the future with all interior cormorants being scrutinized and birds looked for in freshwater lakes and ponds along the coast. This species is possible at anytime of year, with late spring and summer the likely best months, and can turn up anywhere in British Columbia.

 

We wish to thank Don Cecile for reviewing the original manuscript.

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