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Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis

IUCN Red List Criteria

Near Threatened (criteria nearly met) A2b+3bc+4b 

IUCN Red List history

Year Category
2012 Near Threatened
2010 Near Threatened
2008 Near Threatened
2006 Near Threatened
2004 Near Threatened
2000 Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern

Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency Does not normally occur in forest
Land mass type continent
 Average mass -

Distribution

  Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) 195,000 medium
Number of locations -
Fragmentation -

Population & trend

  Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals 144000 medium Estimated 2000
Population trend Stable poor -
Number of subpopulations - - -
Largest subpopulation - - -
Generation length (yrs) 11 - - -
Population justification: The population was estimated at 72,000 pairs in 1996, equating to c.144,000 mature individuals, and likely 200,000-250,000 total individuals.
Trend justification: The population experiences fluctuations due to variations in oceanographic conditions and consequently food supply (del Hoyo et al. 1992).

Country/Territory distribution

Country/Territory Occurrence status Extinct Breeding Non-breeding Passage
Angola Native No   Yes  
Congo Native No   Yes  
Mozambique Native No   Yes  
Namibia Native No      
South Africa Native No      

Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria

Country/Territory IBA Name IBA link
Namibia Cape Cross lagoon site factsheet
Namibia Ichaboe Island site factsheet
Namibia Mile 4 saltworks site factsheet
Namibia Possession Island site factsheet
Namibia Sandwich Harbour site factsheet
Namibia Sperrgebiet site factsheet
South Africa Dassen Island site factsheet
South Africa Dyer Island Nature Reserve site factsheet
South Africa False Bay Park (proposed) site factsheet
South Africa Orange river mouth wetlands site factsheet
South Africa Robben Island National Historical Monument site factsheet
South Africa West Coast National Park and Saldanha Bay islands site factsheet

Habitats & altitude

Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes suitable breeding
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding
Marine Intertidal Rocky Shoreline major breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major resident
Marine Neritic Pelagic suitable resident
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major resident
Altitude 0 - 0 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact

Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Energy production & mining Mining & quarrying Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Unlikely to Return Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Decline Past Impact
Stresses
Species disturbance, Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources / Unintentional effects: (large scale) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Whole (>90%) Slow, Significant Decline Medium Impact:
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects
Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Problematic native species/diseases Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Decline Medium Impact:
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases / Avian Cholera (Pasturella multocida) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Likely to Return Whole (>90%) Slow, Significant Decline Past Impact
Stresses
Species mortality
Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases / Unspecified micro-organisms Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Likely to Return Whole (>90%) Slow, Significant Decline Past Impact
Stresses
Species mortality
Pollution Industrial & military effluents / Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Likely to Return Whole (>90%) Rapid Declines Past Impact
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Climate change & severe weather Habitat shifting & alteration Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Whole (>90%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation

Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Pets Whole Adults and juveniles Wild International Non-trivial Recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Phalacrocorax capensis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013.

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.

Key facts
Current IUCN Red List category Near Threatened
Family Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)
Species name author (Sparrman, 1789)
Population size 144000 mature individuals
Population trend Stable
Distribution size (breeding/resident) 195,000 km2
Country endemic? No
Links to further information
- Summary information on this species
- Climate change species distributions