General Description: Pelagic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax pelagicus) are glossy black, diving birds with a long, thin neck and a long, thin, hooked bill. In breeding plumage, the facial skin turns from black to red, and there are a few white feathers on the neck and back. Under good light, the black feathers are iridescent, showing green and purple-blue. Other species of cormorants have thicker bills and lighter-colored facial skin.

Taxonomy: Suliformes, Phalacrocoracidae

Favored Habitat: Near-shore coastal habitats, rocky coastlines.

Where to Find: Don't look for Pelagic Cormorants around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them on trips to the Pacific Coast, especially along rocky coastlines.

Comments: Pelagic Cormorants nest on the sides of rocky cliffs that are too steep for other species to nest.