Transactions
of the Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station
Distribution and numbers of the Cormorant in the South Crimea
M.M. Beskaravainy
The Cormorant in the South Crimea is a wintering, migratory and summer vagrant species. In recent years there were cases of breeding. The presented material was collected during 1976-2008 in the region stretching from Akmonaisky Isthmus near Feodosia to Lukull Cape near the village of Kacha (about 260 km). Numbers were estimated by direct counts of birds and nests along coastal routs and by visual observations at fixed points.
Since 2006 the Cormorant breeds at Lake Achi in the south of Akmonaisky Isthmus (130-750 nests). The start of laying eggs is early April-early May in different years. Natural factors affecting the colony are weather, hydrological regime of the water body, predation. Anthropogenic disturbance is insignificant.
Main wintering areas are marine waters in the western part of the South Crimea and the Sevastopol Bay with wintering numbers of 6,000-7,000 individuals. Spring passage lasts from late February to April. In summer numbers of birds are low and distribution is sporadic.
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