Japanese Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus)

OTHER NAMES: Temminck's Cormorant

Latin Etymology: Phalacrocorax ("cormorant ; bald raven") capillatus ("hairy")

                      Ten Japanese Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus) in various states of plumage at Kamakura, Japan - November 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 2.3-3.3kg  /  Length: 92cm  /  Wingspan: 152cm
ABSENT FROM UK / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Japanese Cormorant is a close relation of the Great Cormorant, however, unlike them, it has a far more restricted range, found around the Far East - Taiwan, Japan, the Korean Penninsula and Siberia.  In this range, the Great Cormorant tends to be primarily a freshwater species while the Japanese Cormorants are saltwater species.  They look largely similar to the Great Cormorant, but have a slight greenish tinge to the plumage and a different structure of the bill.

Related Species:
Order: Suliformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Genus: Phalacrocorax
Subspecies: None - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - ウミウ  /  Umi-u ("Sea cormorant")

Locally abundant resident of rocky coasts.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Abundant at Kamakura and Shiranuka.

Further Notes:  BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto