The ecology of cormorants (genus Phalacrocorax).

Abstract

Phalacrocorax carbo, P. fuscicollis and P. niger exploit the fish populations of Parakrama Samudra. Peak numbers were 102, 13 700, and 1850 individuals, respectively. The estimated mean daily fish consumption amounts to 696kg fish fresh weight d-1. Nutrient export by these birds can reach almost 1/3 of the nutrient loss through the outflow. These 3 species are well separated ecologically, but cichlids are the predominant prey for all of them. -Author