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Ostrich
Journal of African Ornithology
Volume 56, 1985 - Issue 1-3
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Original Articles

BIOLOGY OF THE BANK CORMORANT, PART 2: MORPHOMETRICS, PLUMAGE, BARE PARTS AND MOULT

Pages 79-85 | Received 01 Aug 1984, Published online: 19 Oct 2010
 

Summary

Cooper J. 1985. Biology of the Bank Cormorant, Part 2: Morphometrics, plumage, bare parts and moult. Ostrich 56: 79–85.

The Bank cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus is a medium-sized, heavily built but relatively short-tailed cormorant. Males average 2 107 g, females 1794 g. There are significant differences, but overlaps, in mass, wing length, bill, tarsus and tail length between the sexes of breeding adults. The species is all black; adults have a white rump patch and white filoplumes on the head and neck in prenuptial plumage. The white rump patch is lost during breeding. Bare parts are black except for the iris (the only useful aging character) which is dark brown in juveniles, green in subadults and horizontally divided orange-brown above, green below, in adults. Partial albinism is common but leucism is not. Adults can moult while breeding but it seems likely that most moult occurs outside the breeding season. Adults and a single subadult examined exhibited Staffelmauser or stepwise moult of the primaries.

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