FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF NONBREEDING IMPERIAL CORMORANTS AT THE PRINCE EDWARD ISLANDS

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Abstract
Cooper, J. 1985. Foraging behaviour of nonbreeding Imperial Cormorants at the Prince Edward Islands. Ostrich 56: 96–100. The Imperial Cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps is an inshore, primarily solitary forager in the nonbreeding season at the Prince Edward Islands. All girds foraged within 400m of the coast, most seaward of a thick Macrocystis kelp bed. Mean dive duration was 40,2s with a maximum of 88s. The ratio of dives to surface rests was 2,68. Birds foraging very close inshore in shallow (<2 m) water dived for shorter periods than those farther offshore in deeper water. The Imperial Cormorant at the Prince Edward Islands appears to be rimarily a bottom-feeder. Foraging bouts were of short duration and little time was spent flying luring foraging. Imperial Cormorants dive for longer periods than do nearly all other species of cormorants.