Phalacrocorax neglectus
The Bank Cormorant, *Phalacrocorax neglectus*, is a medium-sized, highly distinctive, and critically endangered seabird endemic to the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Benguela Current ecosystem off southwestern Africa. Adults are striking with entirely glossy black plumage, often exhibiting a distinctive white rump patch during the breeding season, occasionally complemented by sparse white filoplumes on the head and neck. Measuring between 75-85 cm in length and weighing 1.5-2.5 kg, it is e...
This species primarily inhabits shallow coastal waters, rocky shores, and offshore islands influenced by the cold Benguela Current, foraging in kelp beds and rocky reef systems near sea level.
Their diet consists predominantly of bottom-dwelling fish species, particularly klipfish, hottentot, and rockfish, supplemented by crustaceans, primarily caught through pursuit-diving in shallow coastal waters.
Bank Cormorants are diurnal birds, spending their nights roosting communally on rocky outcrops or offshore islands, often near their breeding colonies. They are pursuit-divers, expertly propelling themselves underwater with their powerful webbed feet to hunt benthic prey, with dives typically las...
The Bank Cormorant is strictly endemic to the cold, productive waters of the Benguela Current ecosystem, ranging from southern Angola (specifically Namibe Province) southwards along the entire coast of Namibia and further east along the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, reaching...
Critically Endangered
- The Bank Cormorant is one of the most critically endangered seabirds in Africa, with a population estimated to be less than 8,000 individuals. - Its scientific name, *Phalacrocorax neglectus*, literally means 'neglected cormorant,' a moniker that tragically foreshadows its precarious conservati...