BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Urile pelagicus
Pelagic Cormorant
| Scientific Name: | Urile pelagicus |
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| Scientific Name Synonyms: |
Phalacrocorax pelagicus
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| English Name: | Pelagic Cormorant |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S4 |
| Date Status Assigned: | June 01, 1996 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | March 05, 2015 |
| Reasons: | Widespread and relatively stable population. May have reached a maximum after long-term expansion. Declines on the west coast of Vancouver Island and on north coast are a cause for concern. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | CE = 250-20,000 square km |
| Range Extent Comments: | Found the length of the British Columbia coast; much rarer as a breeding bird on the central and north coasts, including the Queen Charlotte Islands. |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | C = 21 - 80 |
| Comments: | Active breeding colonies numbered 72 sites in most recent surveys (Rodway 1991). |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | DE = 13 to >40 |
| Population Size: | E = 2,500 - 10,000 individuals |
| Comments: | Population size estimated at about 4500 breeding pairs (Rodway 1991). |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Comments: | Human disturbance is most immediate threat in high human-use areas (Rodway 1991). Oil spills are also a threat. |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | G = Relatively Stable (<=10% change) |
| Comments: | Population is, for the most part, stable (Rodway 1991). However, numbers on the west coast of Vancouver Island apparently declined by 70% between 1975 and 1989, perhaps as a result of the 'Nestucca' oil spill (Vermeer et al. 1992). Numbers of the northern subspecies P. PELAGICUS PELAGICUS are also declining, for unknown reasons. |
| Long-Term Trend: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Environmental Specificity: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Other Rank Considerations: | |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | |
| Inventory Needs: | Inventory major colonies regularly. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | Protect colonies that remain outside protected areas. |
| Management: | Develop guidelines for human activities near colonies. Initiate program of collecting eggshells for environmental monitoring. Monitor chicks for malformations. Develop a marine oil spill response plan. |
| Version | |
| Author: | CANNINGS, S.G. |
| Date: | January 02, 1994 |
| References | |
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Burger, A.E., and D.M. Fry. 1993. Effects of oil pollution on seabirds in the northeast Pacific. Pages 254-263 in K. Vermeer, K. Briggs, K. Morgan, and D. Seigel-Causey, eds. The status, ecology, and conservation of marine birds in the North Pacific. Can. Wildl. Serv. Spec. Publ., Ottawa.
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Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I.McT. Cowan, J.M. Cooper, G. Kaiser, and M.C.E. McNall. 1990. The Birds of British Columbia, Vol. 1. Nonpasserines: Introduction, Loons through Waterfowl. Royal B.C. Mus. in association with Environ. Can., Can. Wildl. Serv. 514pp.
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Chatwin, T., M. Mather, and T. Giesbrecht. 2001. Double-crested and Pelagic Cormorant Inventory in the Strait of Georgia in 2000. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Nanaimo. 15pp.
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DeGange, A., et al. 1993. Losses of seabirds in gill nets in the North Pacific. Pages 204-211 in K. Vermeer, K. Briggs, K. Morgan, and K. Seigel-Causey, eds. The status, ecology and conservation of marine birds in the North Pacific. Can. Wildl. Serv. Spec. Publ., Ottawa.
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Elliott, J.E., and D.G. Noble. 1993. Chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in marine birds of the temperate North Pacific. In: Vermeer, K., Briggs, K.T., Morgan, K.H., Siegel-Causey, D. eds. The status, ecology and conservation of marine birds in the North Pacific. Special Publication. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada; 241-253.
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Resource Inventory Committee. 1997f. DRAFT. Standardized Inventory Methodologies for Components of British Columbia's Biodiversity: Sea Birds, version 1.1 (draft). Prepared for Resour. Inventory Comm., B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC.
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Rodway, M.S. 1991. Status and conservation of breeding seabirds in British Columbia. Pages 43-102 in J.P. Croxall, ed. Seabird status and conservation: a supplement. Int. Counc. for Bird Preservation Tech. Publ. No. 11. Cambridge. U.K.
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Vermeer, K., K.H. Morgan, and P.J. Ewins. 1992. Population trends of Pelagic Cormorants and Glaucous-winged Gulls nesting on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Pp. 60-64 IN Vermeer, K., R.W. Butler, and K.H. Morgan (editors). The ecology, status, and conservation of marine and shoreline birds on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Occ. Pap. 75, Can. Wildl. Serv., Delta, B.C.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1994. Conservation Status Report: Urile pelagicus. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Dec 5, 2025).