Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:06 AM Page 638

BIRDING IN ALASKA

Identification
and Natural
History of the
Red-faced Cormorant
Introduction
While researching background information to supplement a report of a possi-
ble out-of-range Red-faced Cormorant in western Alaska (Tobish 2002, Davis
in review), I became fascinated by the historical, taxonomic, and field-identifi-
Phil Davis
2549 Vale Court
cation controversies surrounding this species, dating back to when Steller ob-
served it in 1741. I was further surprised to discover how little modern infor- Davidsonville, Maryland 21035
mation there is for the enigmatic Red-faced Cormorant. Harvard University pdavis@ix.netcom.com
cormorant expert Douglas Causey (2002) has written: “Possibly owing to its
shy habits and inaccessible colony sites, [the Red-faced Cormorant] is one of
the least-studied and least-known birds of the North Pacific.”
In this article, I provide an overview of and update on the history, taxonomy,
and field identification of the Red-faced Cormorant, especially as these matters
pertain to comparison with the closely related Pelagic Cormorant. Much of the
natural history information presented here is based on recent monographs by
Causey (2002) on the Red-faced Cormorant and by Hobson (1997) on the
Pelagic Cormorant. I have augmented published identification information
with observations by other birders with extensive Alaska experience, including
George Armistead, Gavin Bieber, Steve Heinl, and George West.

The Checkered History of the Red-faced Cormorant

In the 1740s, at the same time that Mark Catesby was exploring “Carolina”
and first describing the birds of the Atlantic Seaboard, Georg Steller was dis-
covering birds of the Bering Sea and North Pacific—including the Red-faced
Cormorant. Steller explored in a period that preceded the full acceptance and
recognition of Linnaeus’s system of binomial nomenclature, and he died be-
fore returning to St. Petersburg, Russia, to complete the documentation of his
discoveries from Kamchatka and Alaska. His work was passed on to and fin-
ished by other naturalists, among them Latham, Pennant, Gmelin (who offi-
cially named the species, in 1789), Pallas, and Brandt. These later naturalists
often re-named and re-described species that they had never seen alive (in-
cluding the Red-faced Cormorant), and they worked from notes, plates, and

638 BIRDING • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:06 AM Page 639

The little-known Red-faced Cormorant inhabits near-shore environments of the North Pacific Ocean.
It is regular in the ABA Area only off southwestern and south-central Alaska, but vagrants have been noted
south to Washington. This article looks at the identification and natural history of the species, with special
emphasis on occurrences outside the core range. St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. © Greg Downing.

documents that required translations of Latin, German, Russian, Eng-

lish, and, later, Japanese. It is not surprising that mistakes were made.
For example, inaccurate descriptions were recorded, and labels of
length measurements were transposed. In one critical case, an appar-
ent “slip of the pen” by artist Thomas Pennant recorded the Red-
faced Cormorant as having a white (rather than red) cutaneous area
around the eye, which caused confusion with a Steller-described
species from the same region, the now-extinct Spectacled Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax perspicillatus). Meanwhile, Pallas also described the
Red-faced Cormorant but gave it a different specific epithet (bicrista-
tus, i.e., “two crests”), which later caused confusion with the Double-
crested Cormorant. Some authors misapplied to the Red-faced the
species name of violaceus, a name most other ornithologists associated
with the Pelagic Cormorant.
And the story does not end there. Because of similarities between the
Red-faced and Pelagic Cormorants, authorities such as Bent, Bailey, Palmer,
and Gabrielson have disagreed over the ranges of these species and whether
they can be separated at a distance (especially immatures in flight). Some natu-
ralists, notably Edward Nelson (1883, 1887), clearly recounted second-hand in-
formation, speculated, misidentified birds, and incorrectly described the
summer range of the species to include the cliffs on both shores of the
Bering Strait and the islands in the middle of the pass, St. Lawrence Island,
and other locations even farther north.
In Asia, outside of Russia and Japan, the situation is also confusing.
Alexander (1954) describes the winter range of this species as ex-
tending to China and Taiwan, but with no references or citations.
Cheng (1955) indicates that the species was recorded as a possible
winter visitant to northeast China and that it had been recorded in
Liu-chia-t’un and on the Liaotung Peninsula. In his 1976 revision,
Cheng apparently made reference to a record for Manchuria, which I

W W W. A M E R I C A N B I R D I N G . O R G 639
Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:07 AM Page 640

RED-FACED CORMORANT

MacKinnon and Phillipps

(2000) list the species in
their China guide, indicating
that it is very rare in China,
with stragglers recorded in
the Bohai Sea and “off Tai-
wan”. I have not been able,
however, to locate specific
records or other evidence of
the species from China, in-
cluding Taiwan.
Siegel-Causey et al. (1991)
commented on museum
specimen identifications that
confused Red-faced with
Pelagic; they also described a
controversial third—and pos-
sibly extant—species, the
smaller Kenyon’s Shag (Stric-
tocarbo kenyoni) from four
Homer, Alaska; August 1995. © Rick & Nora Bowers.
skeletons found on Amchitka
Island. Only 50 years ago did
most of the taxonomy,
nomenclature, and geograph-
Black-legged Kittiwake ic limits finally settle out—
interestingly enough, at a
time when Alaskan Red-faced
Cormorant populations were
reported to be shifting signif-
icantly. Kessel and Gibson
(1994), however, remained
skeptical, attributing reports
Red-faced Cormorant of population shifts of
Alaskan cormorants to the
historical confusion over
their identification and tax-
onomy. They submitted that
Tufted Puffin there was no good basis for
concluding that the popula-
tion status had changed sig-
nificantly since the mid-
Pribilof Islands, Alaska; June 1990. © Rick & Nora Bowers. 1880s.

In the ABA Area, Red-faced Cormorants breed at a number of coastal sites in southwestern and south-central Alaska. Systematics
Breeding colonies occur as far north as the Pribilofs and as far east as Kayak Island. The species prefers ledges that are Currently, the AOU (1998)
wider than those preferred by other seabirds, and in mixed colonies (Black-legged Kittiwakes and Tufted Puffins
shown in lower photograph) Red-faced Cormorants often select nest-sites on higher and steeper parts of the cliffs. follows Sibley and Alquist
(1990) in recognizing the
cannot verify. In 1987, Cheng restated that, in winter, the cormorant family (Phalacrocoracidae) as having no sub-
species is “extremely rare” at Liushutun in the Liaoning families and just one genus (Phalacrocorax). One of the
Province. Notably, in his 1987 work, Cheng had dropped most recent and most fully documented classifications of
the word “probably” from his earlier 1955 account. the family is that of Siegel-Causey (1988), a cladistic analy-

640 BIRDING • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:07 AM Page 641

sis using osteological (skeletal) characters. Siegel-Causey First alternate (non-breeding subadult). The species prob-
recognizes two subfamilies: Phalacrocoracinae (cor- ably does not breed until its third year. The non-breeding
morants) and Leucocarboninae (shags). Based on osteolog- subadult plumage is slightly duller than the breeding
ical characters associated with strong flying, diving, and plumage, and it also lacks the white flank patches, white
cliff nesting, he places Red-faced and
Pelagic “Shags” (see sidebar, p. 643) Red-faced Cormorant. Pribilof Islands, Alaska; June 1990. © Rick & Nora Bowers.
in the latter subfamily and in the
genus Strictocarbo. However, in a
DNA analysis, Kennedy et al. (2000)
recommend that, at least for now and
until more taxa are sampled, the sin-
gle genus Phalacrocorax continue to
apply to both cormorants and shags.

Geographic Variation
No Red-faced Cormorant subspecies
have been described, but the extent of
geographic variation is poorly
known. Individuals from Alaskan wa-
ters are reported to be larger than
those from Asian waters (Causey
2002). Also, individuals with yellow,
instead of red, facial skin have been
observed at breeding sites; however,
the taxonomic status of these variants
is unknown (Causey 2002).

BASIC IDENTIFICATION Pelagic Cormorant. Pribilof Islands, Alaska; June 1990. © Rick & Nora Bowers.

Plumages and Bare Parts

Basic (winter). The adult Red-faced
Cormorant in basic plumage has a
blackish plumage contrasting with
dull-reddish facial skin and a yellow-
ish bill with a black tip and culmen.
The plumage is glossed purple on the
remainder of the head, and it is iri-
descent greenish on the body.
Definitive alternate (breeding). The
alternate plumage is similar to basic
but with conspicuous white patches
on the flanks, brighter-red facial skin,
a variable bluish gular (throat) patch,
and upper and lower mandibles that
are pale blue at the gape. The interior
of the mouth is sky-blue, double
crests (crown and nape) are present,
and scattered long white filoplumes Field identification of cormorants often involves birds in flight, and several of the records of vagrants away from Alaska
have been of birds seen only in flight. On a typical adult Red-faced Cormorant in alternate plumage (upper), the bright
(hair-like feathers) appear on the yellow bill and extensive red on the face are conspicuous. And on a typical adult Pelagic Cormorant (lower), the dark
neck and intra-scapulars (also rarely bill and reduced or absent red on the face are helpful marks. The overall build of Pelagic is slighter and thinner than that
or indistinctly on the rump). of Red-faced, but the differences can be difficult to assess, especially on lone birds.

W W W. A M E R I C A N B I R D I N G . O R G 641
Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:07 AM
RED-FACED CORMORANT
Not all Pelagic Cormorants are textbook perfect. Both of the individuals shown here in flight are
Pelagic Cormorants, exhibiting variation in bill color, in body size and shape, and in wing-to-
back contrast. Gambell, Alaska; May 2005. © Phil Davis.
filoplumes, and crests (Orta 1992).
Juvenile. Juveniles are brownish and lack the crests and
more-vivid iridescent plumage of the adults. Compared to
the adults, their facial skin is duller. Juveniles also have a
feathered forehead (which is unfeathered in adults).
SIMILAR SPECIES
Double-crested and Brandt’s Cormorants
The Red-faced Cormorant is smaller than the other, more-
southerly-ranging Alaskan cormorants, Brandt’s and Dou-
ble-crested. The Red-faced Cormorant can occur with the
larger Double-crested and Brandt’s (rarely) Cormorants in
the southeastern part of its range. If encountered together,
Red-faced can be distinguished, in alternate plumage, from
these cormorants by its bright, reddish facial skin and by its
white flank patches, which are conspicuous in flight. The
light-yellow bill helps in distinction, too. Adults in winter
do not have a buffy border to the throat patch, as does
Brandt’s, or an orange gular pouch, as does Double-crested.
The juvenile Red-faced is further distinguished from its
more southerly congeners by its very dark-brown plumage
overall.
Pelagic Cormorant
Most Red-faced Cormorant identification-challenges deal
with the similar Pelagic Cormorant; single birds (e.g.,
stragglers and strays) can be especially problematic, partic-
ularly in non-breeding plumage and in flight. Even today,
642
Page 642
experienced observers have mixed impres-
sions, and supporting measurements are not
unequivocal.
While on Attu in the spring of 1998, I ob-
served both Red-faced and Pelagic Cor-
morants together; since the birds were fairly
close and in alternate plumage, separation of
the species was rather straightforward. Subse-
quently, while on Attu during September
2000, separation of the two species in basic
plumage was more challenging; it was clear
that bill color is the key fall identification field
mark. The light-colored bill of the Red-faced
appears distinctly different from the dark bill
of the Pelagic. All other field marks cited in
the popular literature are subtle; size, flight
style, and head shape and position are not ob-
vious to me as dependable, diagnostic field
marks. According to G. Bieber, who has expe-
rience in western Alaska: “Structural differ-
ences can be slighter than many guides would
have an observer believe. Pelagics can appear
a little more slender-bodied, but not much so, and the
thinner neck varies in its evidence.”
General Marks. Good looks at breeding Red-faced Cor-
morants should present distinctive field marks sufficient
for separation from Pelagic, including the distinctive yel-
low bill with a black tip, the bright-red facial skin entirely
encircling the eye (often visible at a great distance), and the
bluish base of the bill (often difficult to see).
Probably no single characteristic is diagnostic for a non-
breeding-plumage Red-faced Cormorant in flight or on the
water at a distance. In mixed flocks, birders should proba-
bly quickly first scan for any size differences, which may in-
dicate the presence of multiple species. Specifically, ob-
servers should focus on the following: facial skin, head,
neck, and wing/back plumage. Table 1 (p. 643) summarizes
key field marks and differences in jizz between the two
species.
Size. Causey (2002) observes: “Unlike the Pelagic Cor-
morant, which is represented by hundreds of skin speci-
mens, there are few museum specimens of Red-faced, so
meaningful analysis based on sample sizes is limited.
More information and more specimens are needed to de-
termine whether there are measurable geographic, clinal,
or varietal differences.” It is not surprising, therefore, that
the literature varies significantly on the length of Red-
faced vs. Pelagic Cormorant. Small female Red-faceds ap-
parently can overlap the size of large male Pelagics. I ana-
lyzed length characteristics by compiling available
published measurements and calculating the resulting ra-
BIRDING • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005
Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:07 AM Page 643

tios. Various authors’ data yield size ratios of Red-faced

compared to Pelagic that vary from 0.99 to 1.96 (Red-
faced to Pelagic), with most ratios falling between 1.05
What’s in a Name?
and 1.25 (Red-faced to Pelagic). What we call the Red-faced Cormorant is known in other parts of the
Currently, two subspecies of Pelagic are generally recog-
nized; the more northerly population (robustus) is larger world as the Red-faced Shag. What is the difference between a cor-
than the southerly nominate subspecies, which further morant and a shag? The names ‘cormorant’ and ‘shag’ were originally
minimizes differences in size between the two species.
However, Causey (2002) states that individual Red-faceds those of two species found in Britain, namely, the Great Cormorant
from west-central and southwestern regions of Alaska are (which also occurs in the ABA Area) and the Common Shag (P. aris-
also larger than those from south-central Alaska.
Alaskan birders report observational differences with re- totelis). “Shag”refers to the bird’s crest. As other species were discovered
gard to impressions of size. For example, S. Heinl, com- elsewhere by English-speaking explorers, some were called cormorants
menting on the Attu population says, “The birds are much
larger than Pelagic Cormorants, with thicker bills.” But G. and some shags, depending on whether or not they had crests (Alexan-
Armistead, states, with regard to the Pribilof birds, “What I
der 1954). In modern usage, according to Causey (2002), shags have
have found is that (at least the immatures) do not differ
much in size from the Red-faceds. In terms of total length, longer, more-slender bills, heads, and bodies than cormorants, and they
they really look about the same.” Therefore, size only—for
are rarely found far from marine habitats and rocky shores; cormorants
a single bird or for multiple birds in a homogeneous
flock—is not a reliable discriminating field character for have robust bills and stocky bodies, and they commonly breed at inland
separating the two species.
Bill. Generally, the literature states that bill color of the colonies near lakes or rivers, even in trees.
Pelagic Cormorant is darker than that of Red-faced. In
breeding plumage, however, the
Pelagic’s lower mandible may Table 1. Field Marks of Red-faced and Pelagic Cormorants.
show some yellow distally, in ad-
dition to the orange at the base. Character Red-faced Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Reference
Some sources state that the –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Bill thicker; light-brown to dark- thinner; blackish (juvenile) Farrand (1983),
Pelagic always shows a dark bill; yellow; deeper base; base of to light gray (adult); shorter; Johnsgard (1993)
but for some individuals, partic- culmen concave; juvenile more parallel-sided
ularly those in alternate has dusky culmen
plumage, this is not necessarily –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Facial skin in alternate plumage, brighter in alternate plumage, ranges Hobson (1997),
the case. Sibley (2000) is cau- scarlet and more extensive from dull red to vivid ruby or Causey (2002)
tious about variation in Pelagic magenta; more restricted overall
Cormorant bill size: “Bering Sea –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
populations are larger with Head thicker than neck usually the same diameter as Zimmer (2000)
that of the neck
thicker bills, but large individu- –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
als occur throughout the range.” Neck thicker-necked and more thinner and straighter; Farrand (1983),
Therefore, bill color and size hunched- or crooked-necked “pencil-like” G. Bieber
must be used cautiously in field (personal
communication)
separation of the two species. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Habitat. The Red-faced Cor- Wing brownish; upperwing surface on blackish; on adults, no obvious Stallcup (1996)
morant is a marine species, breed- adults contrasts sharply with contrast between upperwings
ing along rocky coasts and off- glossy iridescent body and back
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
shore islands (Orta 1992). It Back violet gloss greenish gloss Palmer (1962)
usually roosts on offshore rocks –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Overall larger, bulkier, stockier; smaller; more slender-bodied; Causey (2002),
or protected rocky outcroppings build pot-bellied more streamlined G. Bieber
near cliffs and is rarely noted on (personal
flat ground (Siegel-Causey 1988). communication)
According to Causey (2002),

W W W. A M E R I C A N B I R D I N G . O R G 643
Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:07 AM Page 644

RED-FACED CORMORANT

Island. The largest

colonies in North
American waters are
in the Near Islands—
Attu, Agattu, and Niz-
ki-Alaid (Trapp 1985).
Asia. The Asian breed-
ing range extends west
from the Aleutian Is-
lands, through the
Commander Islands,
through southeastern
Kamchatka Peninsula,
and into the Kuril Is-
lands to northern
Japan. The colonies on
the shores of Kam-
chatka are the only
ones known on the
Asian continent. In
Japan, colonies are
found as far south as
Moyururi Island and
at scattered sites along
coastal Hokkaido.

Winter Range
St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. © Greg Downing. St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. © Greg Downing. North America. The
species is not migrato-
As is the case with so many difficult groups of birds, the best way to approach the Red-faced vs. Pelagic conundrum is to start off with
“safe” individuals that you can confidently identify. Both of these birds are adult Red-faced Cormorants in alternate plumage. Points to ry. Adults and imma-
note include the following: extensive red on the face (completely encircling the eye); variable but prominent horn or yellow tones to the tures feed near the
bill; and the thick, purple-glossed neck (but beware of subjectivity and variation). breeding areas, but
they are more dis-
Red-faced Cormorants are commonly observed near is- persed in winter. Some surveys, however, may not accu-
lands and rocky shores; however, they forage farther out to rately distinguish Red-faced from Pelagic; thus reports of
sea than do Pelagics. Individuals that are noted feeding in outliers may be unreliable.
water deeper than 200 meters or at distances greater than Asia. Red-faced is resident year-round in Asia throughout
20 kilometers from shore are likely wandering or non- the breeding range, as in North American waters.
breeding adults (Causey 2002).
Postbreeding Dispersal
DISTRIBUTION Individuals disperse from breeding colonies but are gener-
ally not encountered outside of the breeding range. Non-
Breeding Range breeders are observed commonly near breeding colonies.
North America. The Red-faced Cormorant breeds from the Little information exists on movements and behaviors fol-
Alaskan Peninsula west through the Aleutians to Attu Is- lowing nest departures.
land. Scattered colonies are found around the Gulf of Alas-
ka, especially at Shumagin and Kodiak Islands. There are Casual Records and Reports
also a few scattered colonies north of the Alaska Peninsula Table 2 (p. 645) presents a summary of both accepted and
in Bristol Bay, north to Cape Newenham, and on Nunivak hypothetical extralimital records of Red-faced Cormorant.
Island. The northernmost breeding colony is at St. Paul Is- Stallcup (1996) sizes up the situation succinctly: “The lack
land, in the Pribilofs. The easternmost colony is on Kayak of extralimital records may be due to the fact that field

644 BIRDING • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:07 AM Page 645

ornithologists do not search for

[the birds].” Table 2. Extralimital records of the Red-faced Cormorant. Records indicated by a dagger (†) are hypothetical;
those indicated by a double-dagger (‡) are known or presumed to be erroneous.
DEMOGRAPHY AND Date Location Comments Reference
POPULATIONS –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
(‡) 5 September 1877 St. Michael, Norton one juvenile male collected Davis (in review)
Sound, Alaska by E. W. Nelson (USNM
Population Estimates specimen 75919);
Most recently, Wetlands Interna- subsequently shown to be
tional (2002) estimated the a Pelagic
Northern Pacific population of –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
(‡) 7 April 1910 Departure Bay, specimen of a female; Taverner (1927),
Red-faced Cormorant to be Vancouver Island, originally called a Godfrey (1966)
200,000, with the North Ameri- British Columbia Red-faced Cormorant;
can component at <50,000 breed- subsequently shown
ing adults and <75,000 individu- to be a Double-crested
als overall. Peak abundances in –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
late February 1980 Sitka, Alaska the first southeastern Gibson (1980)
North America are in the Pribliof Alaska record for the
and the Near Islands (especially species
Agattu Island). –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
20 April 1980 Wakayama-ken, approximately 700 miles Martins (1988),
Honshu, Japan from normal range Brazil (1991)
Population Status and Trends –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The population status is only (†) June 1987 Hudson Rocks, one at Pelagic Cormorant K. Morgan
crudely known. Red-faceds may British Columbia colony personal
communication
change nesting locations and un- in Force (2001)
dergo mass colony-shifts when lo- –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
cal environmental conditions 10–11 April 1988 Old Masset, one in alternate plumage; Mattocks (1988)
change. Movements of colonies British Columbia photographed
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
may result in high inter-annual (†) 14 April 1988 Campbell River, one in alternate plumage Campbell et al.
variation. Numbers seem to have Vancouver Island, (1990)
shifted from the Pribilofs to the British Columbia
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
western Aleutians over the past 20 (†) 8 June 1988 Hecate Strait, three flyby cormorants; Force (2001)
years, and the trend in the west- British Columbia plumage, behavior, size,
ern Gulf of Alaska appears to be location, and date are
down, but incomplete census data suggestive of Red-faced
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
and problems with determining 8 May 1999 Elway River, subadult in alternate Tweit et al.
numbers make identification of Washington plumage (1999),
trends difficult (Causey 2002). Mlodinow and
Pink (2000)
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Where to Find 20 June 1999 Learmonth Banks, one adult; flyby in alternate Bain and
Except for a few records from British Columbia plumage Shanahan (1999)
British Columbia and Washing- –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
(†) 24–26 May 2002 Gambell, Alaska one adult in alternate Tobish (2002),
ton, the Red-faced Cormorant is plumage Davis (in review)
restricted in the ABA Area to –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Alaska. The species is not found 14 December 2003 Juan de Fuca Strait, one adult in breeding Patterson (2004)
British Columbia plumage; seen in flight
near Anchorage, the obligatory
transfer point for most trips to
the rest of the state, and most
breeding locations are not conveniently accessible. Whiskered Auklet at Dutch Harbor or Adak.
Most birders will likely combine a search for this In the ABA Birder’s Guide to Alaska, West (2002) states that
species with finding Asian vagrants or other Alaskan the species is easy to find on boat tours out of Homer and Sew-
specialties, such as Kittlitz’s Murrelet in the south-cen- ard, and to St. Paul Island. He adds that it is hard to get decent
tral region, Red-legged Kittiwake in the Pribilofs, or views and to identify it on the ferry from Kodiak to Dutch

W W W. A M E R I C A N B I R D I N G . O R G 645
Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/17/05 11:07 AM
RED-FACED CORMORANT
Subadult Red-faced (left; U. S. National Museum #62531) and Pelagic (right; U. S. National Museum
#75919) Cormorants are especially challenging. On the Red-faced, note the thicker bill and the light
lower mandible. On the Pelagic, the bill is thinner and darker overall. Photograph by © Phil Davis.
Harbor. The best places to see the Red-faced Cormorant
and the degree of difficulty of finding it are as follows:
South-central Alaska
• Homer / Kachemak Bay: Easy
• Seward / Kenai Fords National Park: Easy
• Kodiak Island: Medium
• Cordova: Easy
Southwestern Alaska
• Katmai National Park / Brecharof NWR: Medium
• Pribilofs: Easy
• Adak: Easy
• Attu: Easy (if you can get there!)
A Birder’s Guide to Kachemak Bay (KBSFSC 2004) touts
Kachemak Bay as the “most accessible and reliable place in
Alaska to see the Red-faced Cormorant.” Homer is located
on the southwestern shore of the Kenai Peninsula and on
the north shore of Kachemak Bay, and it can be reached by
a scenic 4–5-hour drive from Anchorage or by regular com-
mercial flights. Red-faced Cormorants are readily seen dur-
ing boat tours of Gull Island, only a few miles from the end
of the spit, an easily accessible seabird colony. Red-faced
and Pelagic are resident breeders; they are common in
spring, summer, and fall. Double-crested is uncommon and
is probably a breeder. Brandt’s is accidental here.
646
Page 646
The Red-faced Cormorant remains a surprisingly poorly known
species. Patterns of vagrancy, seasonal dispersal, and long-term popula-
tion change are not well described, and birders in the field can con-
tribute significantly to our understanding of these aspects of the biology
of the species. St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. © Greg Downing.
The best time for sighting the species is during the spring
and early summer season (May and June), when the birds
are at or near their nesting colonies and the breeding birds
are in their distinctive alternate plumage.
Acknowledgments
I thank the following persons for their assistance with this
article: George Armistead (Tanadgusix Corporation), Yuri
Artukhin (Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Institute of Geog-
raphy), Gavin Bieber (Tanadgusix), G. Vernon Byrd (U. S.
Fish & Wildlife Service), Douglas Causey (Harvard Uni-
versity), Will Duckworth, Lynda Garrett (Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center), Mary Gustafson (Patuxent), Steve
Mlodinow, Charlie and Nial Moores, Daniel D. Gibson
(University of Alaska), Steve Heinl (Alaska Department of
Fish & Game), Peter Pyle (Point Reyes Bird Observatory),
Jevgeni Shergalin, Dave Sonneborn, Thede Tobish, George
West, and Jeff Williams (U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service).
Literature Cited
Alexander, W.B. 1954. Birds of the Ocean. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York.
American Ornithologists’Union [AOU]. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds,
seventh edition. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington.
Bain, M., and D. Shanahan. 1999. Cross Canada round-up. Birders Journal
8:158–176.
continued on page 648
BIRDING • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005
Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/19/05 12:15 PM Page 647

W W W. A M E R I C A N B I R D I N G . O R G 647
Birding 12-05 15-Cormorant 10/19/05 2:21 PM Page 648
RED-FACED CORMORANT
continued from page 646
Brazil, M.A. 1991. The Birds of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, Washington.
Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, J.M. Cooper, G.W. Kaiser, and
M.C.E. McNall. 1990. The Birds of British Columbia: Non-passerines, vol. 1. Roy-
al British Columbia Museum, Victoria.
Causey, D. 2002. Red-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax urile), in: A. Poole and F.
Gill, eds. The Birds of North America, no. 617. Birds of North America,
Philadelphia.
Cheng, T.H. 1955. Chung Kuo Niao Lei Fen Pu Mu Lu. Academia Sinica, Peking.
Cheng, T.H. 1976. A Distributional List of Chinese Birds. Science Press, Beijing.
Cheng, T.H. 1987. A Synopsis of the Avifauna of China. Science Press, Beijing.
Davis, P. 2005. Status of Red-faced Cormorant in the northern Bering Sea.
Western Birds in review.
Farrand, J., ed. 1983. The Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding, vol. 1. Chan-
ticleer Press, New York.
Force, M. 2001. Probable Red-faced Cormorant in British Columbia. Birders
Journal 10:249–252.
Gibson, D.D. 1980. Alaska region. American Birds 34:298–299.
Godfrey, W.E. 1966. The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa.
Hobson, K.A. 1997. Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus), in: A. Poole
and F. Gill, eds. The Birds of North America, no. 282. Birds of North America,
Philadelphia.
Johnsgard, P.A. 1993. Cormorants, Darters, and Pelicans of the World. Smithson-
ian Institution Press, Washington.
Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival Steering Committee [KBSFSC]. 2004. Birder’s Guide
to Kachemak Bay. <birdinghomeralaska.org>. Web site visited 25 July 2004.
Kennedy, M., R.D. Gray, and H.G. Spencer. 2000. The phylogenetic relationships
of the shags and cormorants: Can sequence data resolve a disagreement
between behavior and morphology? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
17:345–359.
Kessel, B., and D.D. Gibson. 1994. A century of avifaunal change in Alaska, in:
J.R. Jehl and N.K. Johnson, eds. A Century of Avifaunal Change in Western
North America. Studies in Avian Biology, no. 15.
MacKinnon, J., and K. Phillips. 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of China. Oxford
University Press, New York.
Martins, R.P. 1988. Selected bird observations from Japan: Winter and spring
1980. Journal of the Yamashina Institute Ornithology 20:54–56.
Mattocks, P.W. 1988. Northern Pacific Coast Region. American Birds
42:1331–1335.
648
Mlodinow, S.G., and S. Pink. 2000. Red-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax urile) in
Clallam County: A first record for the contiguous United States. Washington
Birds 7:46–50.
Nelson, E.W. 1883. Cruise of the Revenue Marine Steamer, Corwin, in Alaska and
the N.W. Arctic Ocean in 1881. Government Printing Office, Washington.
Nelson, E.W. 1887. Report upon Natural History Collections made in Alaska be-
tween the Years 1877 and 1881. Arctic Series of Publications, Signal Service,
U.S. Army, no. 3.
Orta, J. 1992. Family Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants), in: J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott,
and J. Sargatal, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 1. Lynx Edicions,
Barcelona.
Palmer, R.S. 1962. Handbook of North American Birds, vol. 1. Yale University
Press, New Haven.
Patterson, M. 2004. Washington/Oregon, in: Summary of the 104th Christmas
Bird Count. American Birds 58:98–99.
Sibley, D.A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Knopf, New York.
Sibley, C.G., and J.E. Alquist. 1990. Phylogeny and Classification of the Birds of
the World. Yale University Press, New Haven.
Siegel-Causey, D. 1988. Phylogeny of the Phalacrocoracidae. Condor
90:885–905.
Siegel-Causey, D., C. Lefevre, and A.B. Savinetskii. 1991. Historical diversity
of cormorants and shags from Amchitka Island, Alaska. Condor
93:840–852.
Stallcup, R.S. 1996. Focus: Cormorants revisited. Point Reyes Bird Observatory
Newsletter 57:4–5.
Taverner, P.A. 1927. Some recent Canadian records. Auk 44:217–228.
Tobish, T.G. 2002. Alaska region. North American Birds 56:343–345.
Trapp, J.L. 1985. Bird and Mammal Observations at Alaid and Nizki Islands, Aleut-
ian Islands, Alaska, Spring and Summer 1976. U.S. Fish & Wildlife report no.
FWLB0934–ARLISS, Anchorage.
Tweit, B., G. Lillie, and S. Mlodinow. 1999. Oregon-Washington region. North
American Birds 53:320–324.
West, G.C. 2002. A Birder’s Guide to Alaska. American Birding Association,
Colorado Springs.
Wetlands International. 2002. Waterbird Population Estimates, third edition.
Wetlands International Global Series no. 12, Wageningen.
Zimmer, K.J. 2000. Birding in the American West: A Handbook. Cornell Universi-
ty Press, Ithaca.
BIRDING • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005