Nannopterum harrisi
The Flightless Cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi) is a striking and evolutionarily unique seabird, endemic to the Galápagos Islands. It is the largest living cormorant, measuring approximately 89-100 cm (35-39 in) in length and weighing between 2.5 and 5 kg (5.5-11 lbs). Its plumage is a dull, glossy blackish-brown above, transitioning to brownish underneath, often appearing shaggy or disheveled. A distinguishing field mark is its vivid turquoise-blue eyes, set against an orange-yellow bill with...
Exclusively found on rocky coasts and lava shores of the western Galápagos Islands, preferring areas with cold, nutrient-rich upwelling waters. It lives at sea level, rarely venturing inland.
Primarily carnivorous, feeding on bottom-dwelling fish (like blennies and triggerfish), eels, small octopus, and other marine invertebrates caught by diving and pursuing prey underwater.
Flightless Cormorants are diurnal birds, spending their days foraging in the shallow, productive waters near their nesting sites and roosting on coastal rocks. They are superb underwater pursuit predators, using their powerful legs and large webbed feet for propulsion, with their vestigial wings ...
The Flightless Cormorant is strictly endemic to the westernmost Galápagos Islands, primarily found along the coasts of Fernandina Island and the northern and western shores of Isabela Island. Smaller, more localized populations exist on other nearby islets such as Pinzón and Floreana, though thes...
Endangered
- The Flightless Cormorant is the only cormorant species in the world that cannot fly. - Its wings are only about a third of the size they would need to support flight, resembling tiny, frayed paddles. - Their bones are denser than those of flying birds, aiding in buoyancy control for diving rath...