Other Species Were Discovered Alaskan Birders Report Observational

8/14/2019 Other Species Were Discovered Alaskan Birders Report Observational

1/11B I R D I N G N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 5638

B I R D I N G I N A L A S K A

Phil Davis2549 Vale Court

Davidsonville, Maryland 21035

[email protected]

IntroductionWhile researching background information to supplement a report of a possi-ble out-of-range Red-faced Cormorant in western Alaska (Tobish 2002, Davisin review), I became fascinated by the historical, taxonomic, and field-identifi-cation controversies surrounding this species, dating back to when Steller ob-served it in 1741. I was further surprised to discover how little modern infor-mation there is for the enigmatic Red-faced Cormorant. Harvard Universitycormorant expert Douglas Causey (2002) has written: Possibly owing to itsshy habits and inaccessible colony sites, [the Red-faced Cormorant] is one ofthe least-studied and least-known birds of the North Pacific.

In this article, I provide an overview of and update on the history, taxonomy,and field identification of the Red-faced Cormorant, especially as these matterspertain to comparison with the closely related Pelagic Cormorant. Much of thenatural history information presented here is based on recent monographs byCausey (2002) on the Red-faced Cormorant and by Hobson (1997) on thePelagic Cormorant. I have augmented published identification informationwith observations by other birders with extensive Alaska experience, includingGeorge Armistead, Gavin Bieber, Steve Heinl, and George West.

The Checkered History of the Red-faced CormorantIn the 1740s, at the same time that Mark Catesby was exploring Carolinaand first describing the birds of the Atlantic Seaboard, Georg Steller was dis-covering birds of the Bering Sea and North Pacificincluding the Red-facedCormorant. Steller explored in a period that preceded the full acceptance andrecognition of Linnaeuss system of binomial nomenclature, and he died be-fore returning to St. Petersburg, Russia, to complete the documentation of hisdiscoveries from Kamchatka and Alaska. His work was passed on to and fin-ished by other naturalists, among them Latham, Pennant, Gmelin (who offi-cially named the species, in 1789), Pallas, and Brandt. These later naturalistsoften re-named and re-described species that they had never seen alive (in-cluding the Red-faced Cormorant), and they worked from notes, plates, and

Identificationand NaturalHistory of the

Red-faced Cormorant


2/11W W W . A M E R I C A N B I R D I N G . O R G 639639

documents that required translations of Latin, German, Russian, Eng-lish, and, later, Japanese. It is not surprising that mistakes were made.For example, inaccurate descriptions were recorded, and labels oflength measurements were transposed. In one critical case, an appar-ent slip of the pen by artist Thomas Pennant recorded the Red-faced Cormorant as having a white (rather than red) cutaneous areaaround the eye, which caused confusion with a Steller-describedspecies from the same region, the now-extinct Spectacled Cormorant(Phalacrocorax perspicillatus). Meanwhile, Pallas also described the

Red-faced Cormorant but gave it a different specific epithet (bicrista-tus, i.e., two crests), which later caused confusion with the Double-crested Cormorant. Some authors misapplied to the Red-faced thespecies name ofviolaceus, a name most other ornithologists associatedwith the Pelagic Cormorant.

And the story does not end there. Because of similarities between theRed-faced and Pelagic Cormorants, authorities such as Bent, Bailey, Palmer,and Gabrielson have disagreed over the ranges of these species and whetherthey can be separated at a distance (especially immatures in flight). Some natu-ralists, notably Edward Nelson (1883, 1887), clearly recounted second-hand in-formation, speculated, misidentified birds, and incorrectly described thesummer range of the species to include the cliffs on both shores of theBering Strait and the islands in the middle of the pass, St. Lawrence Island,and other locations even farther north.

In Asia, outside of Russia and Japan, the situation is also confusing.Alexander (1954) describes the winter range of this species as ex-tending to China and Taiwan, but with no references or citations.Cheng (1955) indicates that the species was recorded as a possiblewinter visitant to northeast China and that it had been recorded inLiu-chia-tun and on the Liaotung Peninsula. In his 1976 revision,Cheng apparently made reference to a record for Manchuria, which I

The little-known Red-faced Cormorant inhabits near-shore environments of the North Pacific Ocean.It is regular in the ABA Area only off southwestern and south-central Alaska, but vagrants have been notedsouth to Washington. This article looks at the identification and natural history of the species, with specialemphasis on occurrences outside the core range. St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. Greg Downing.



cannot verify. In 1987, Cheng restated that, in winter, thespecies is extremely rare at Liushutun in the LiaoningProvince. Notably, in his 1987 work, Cheng had dropped

the word probably from his earlier 1955 account.

MacKinnon and Phillipps(2000) list the species intheir China guide, indicating

that it is very rare in China,with stragglers recorded inthe Bohai Sea and off Tai-wan. I have not been able,however, to locate specificrecords or other evidence ofthe species from China, in-cluding Taiwan.

Siegel-Causey et al. (1991)commented on museumspecimen identifications thatconfused Red-faced with

Pelagic; they also described acontroversial thirdand pos-sibly extantspecies, thesmaller Kenyons Shag (Stric-tocarbo kenyoni) from fourskeletons found on AmchitkaIsland. Only 50 years ago didmost of the taxonomy,nomenclature, and geograph-ic limits finally settle outinterestingly enough, at atime when Alaskan Red-faced

Cormorant populations werereported to be shifting signif-icantly. Kessel and Gibson(1994), however, remainedskeptical, attributing reportsof population shifts ofAlaskan cormorants to thehistorical confusion overtheir identification and tax-onomy. They submitted thatthere was no good basis for

concluding that the popula-tion status had changed sig-nificantly since the mid-1880s.

SystematicsCurrently, the AOU (1998)follows Sibley and Alquist(1990) in recognizing the

cormorant family (Phalacrocoracidae) as having no sub-families and just one genus (Phalacrocorax). One of themost recent and most fully documented classifications of

the family is that of Siegel-Causey (1988), a cladistic analy-

R E D - F A C E D C O R M O R A N T

In the ABA Area, Red-faced Cormorants breed at a number of coastal sites in southwestern and south-central Alaska.Breeding colonies occur as far nor th as the Pribilofs and as far east as Kayak Island. The species prefers le dges that arewider than those preferred by other seabirds, and in mixed colonies (Black-legged Kittiwakes and Tufted Puffinsshown in lower photograph) Red-faced Cormorants often select nest-sites on higher and steeper parts of the cliffs.

Homer, Alaska; August 1995. Rick & Nora Bowers.

Pribilof Islands, Alaska; June 1990. Rick & Nora Bowers.

Black-legged Kittiwake

Red-faced Cormorant

Tufted Puffin



sis using osteological (skeletal) characters. Siegel-Causeyrecognizes two subfamilies: Phalacrocoracinae (cor-morants) and Leucocarboninae (shags). Based on osteolog-

ical characters associated with strong flying, diving, andcliff nesting, he places Red-faced andPelagic Shags (see sidebar, p. 643)in the latter subfamily and in thegenus Strictocarbo. However, in aDNA analysis, Kennedy et al. (2000)recommend that, at least for now anduntil more taxa are sampled, the sin-gle genus Phalacrocorax continue toapply to both cormorants and shags.

Geographic Variation

No Red-faced Cormorant subspecieshave been described, but the extent ofgeographic variation is poorlyknown. Individuals from Alaskan wa-ters are reported to be larger thanthose from Asian waters (Causey2002). Also, individuals with yellow,instead of red, facial skin have beenobserved at breeding sites; however,the taxonomic status of these variantsis unknown (Causey 2002).

BASIC IDENTIFICATION

Plumages and Bare PartsBasic (winter). The adult Red-facedCormorant in basic plumage has ablackish plumage contrasting withdull-reddish facial skin and a yellow-ish bill with a black tip and culmen.The plumage is glossed purple on theremainder of the head, and it is iri-descent greenish on the body.

Definitive alternate (breeding). Thealternate plumage is similar to basicbut with conspicuous white patcheson the flanks, brighter-red facial skin,a variable bluish gular (throat) patch,and upper and lower mandibles thatare pale blue at the gape. The interiorof the mouth is sky-blue, doublecrests (crown and nape) are present,and scattered long white filoplumes(hair-like feathers) appear on theneck and intra-scapulars (also rarely

or indistinctly on the rump).

First alternate (non-breeding subadult). The species prob-ably does not breed until its third year. The non-breedingsubadult plumage is slightly duller than the breeding

plumage, and it also lacks the white flank patches, white

Field identification of cormorants often involves birds in flight, and several of the records of vagrants away from Alaskahave been of birds seen only in flight. On a typical adult Red-faced Cormorant in alternate plumage (upper), the brightyellow bill and extensive red on the face are conspicuous. And on a typical adult Pelagic Cormorant (lower), the darkbill and reduced or absent red on the face are he lpful marks. The overall build of Pelagic is slighter and thinner than that

of Red-faced, but the differences can be difficult to assess, especially on lone birds.

Red-faced Cormorant. Pribilof Islands, Alaska; June 1990. Rick & Nora Bowers.

Pelagic Cormorant. Pribilof Islands, Alaska; June 1990. Rick & Nora Bowers.



filoplumes, and crests (Orta 1992).Juvenile. Juveniles are brownish and lack the crests andmore-vivid iridescent plumage of the adults. Compared tothe adults, their facial skin is duller. Juveniles also have afeathered forehead (which is unfeathered in adults).

SIMILAR SPECIES

Double-crested and Brandts CormorantsThe Red-faced Cormorant is smaller than the other, more-southerly-ranging Alaskan cormorants, Brandts and Dou-ble-crested. The Red-faced Cormorant can occur with thelarger Double-crested and Brandts (rarely) Cormorants inthe southeastern part of its range. If encountered together,Red-faced can be distinguished, in alternate plumage, fromthese cormorants by its bright, reddish facial skin and by its

white flank patches, which are conspicuous in flight. Thelight-yellow bill helps in distinction, too. Adults in winterdo not have a buffy border to the throat patch, as doesBrandts, or an orange gular pouch, as does Double-crested.The juvenile Red-faced is further distinguished from itsmore southerly congeners by its very dark-brown plumageoverall.

Pelagic CormorantMost Red-faced Cormorant identification-challenges dealwith the similar Pelagic Cormorant; single birds (e.g.,stragglers and strays) can be especially problematic, partic-

ularly in non-breeding plumage and in flight. Even today,

experienced observers have mixed impres-sions, and supporting measurements are notunequivocal.

While on Attu in the spring of 1998, I ob-served both Red-faced and Pelagic Cor-morants together; since the birds were fairlyclose and in alternate plumage, separation ofthe species was rather straightforward. Subse-quently, while on Attu during September2000, separation of the two species in basicplumage was more challenging; it was clearthat bill color is the key fall identification fieldmark. The light-colored bill of the Red-facedappears distinctly different from the dark billof the Pelagic. All other field marks cited in

the popular literature are subtle; size, flightstyle, and head shape and position are not ob-vious to me as dependable, diagnostic fieldmarks. According to G. Bieber, who has expe-rience in western Alaska: Structural differ-ences can be slighter than many guides wouldhave an observer believe. Pelagics can appear

a little more slender-bodied, but not much so, and thethinner neck varies in its evidence.General Marks. Good looks at breeding Red-faced Cor-morants should present distinctive field marks sufficientfor separation from Pelagic, including the distinctive yel-

low bill with a black tip, the bright-red facial skin entirelyencircling the eye (often visible at a great distance), and thebluish base of the bill (often difficult to see).

Probably no single characteristic is diagnostic for a non-breeding-plumage Red-faced Cormorant in flight or on thewater at a distance. In mixed flocks, birders should proba-bly quickly first scan for any size differences, which may in-dicate the presence of multiple species. Specifically, ob-servers should focus on the following: facial skin, head,neck, and wing/back plumage. Table 1 (p. 643) summarizeskey field marks and differences in jizz between the two

species.Size. Causey (2002) observes: Unlike the Pelagic Cor-morant, which is represented by hundreds of skin speci-mens, there are few museum specimens of Red-faced, someaningful analysis based on sample sizes is limited.More information and more specimens are needed to de-termine whether there are measurable geographic, clinal,or varietal differences. It is not surprising, therefore, thatthe literature varies significantly on the length of Red-faced vs. Pelagic Cormorant. Small female Red-faceds ap-parently can overlap the size of large male Pelagics. I ana-lyzed length characteristics by compiling available

published measurements and calculating the resulting ra-


Not all Pelagic Cormorants are textbook perfect. Both of the individuals shown here in flight arePelagic Cormorants, exhibiting variation in bill color, in body size and shape, and in wing-to-back contrast. Gambell, Alaska; May 2005. Phil Davis.



tios. Various authors data yield size ratios of Red-facedcompared to Pelagic that vary from 0.99 to 1.96 (Red-faced to Pelagic), with most ratios falling between 1.05

and 1.25 (Red-faced to Pelagic).Currently, two subspecies of Pelagic are generally recog-nized; the more northerly population (robustus) is largerthan the southerly nominate subspecies, which furtherminimizes differences in size between the two species.However, Causey (2002) states that individual Red-facedsfrom west-central and southwestern regions of Alaska arealso larger than those from south-central Alaska.

Alaskan birders report observational differences with re-gard to impressions of size. For example, S. Heinl, com-menting on the Attu population says, The birds are muchlarger than Pelagic Cormorants, with thicker bills. But G.

Armistead, states, with regard to the Pribilof birds, What Ihave found is that (at least the immatures) do not differmuch in size from the Red-faceds. In terms of total length,they really look about the same. Therefore, size onlyfora single bird or for multiple birds in a homogeneousflockis not a reliable discriminating field character forseparating the two species.Bill. Generally, the literature states that bill color of thePelagic Cormorant is darker than that of Red-faced. Inbreeding plumage, however, thePelagics lower mandible mayshow some yellow distally, in ad-

dition to the orange at the base.Some sources state that thePelagic always shows a dark bill;but for some individuals, partic-ularly those in alternateplumage, this is not necessarilythe case. Sibley (2000) is cau-tious about variation in PelagicCormorant bill size: Bering Seapopulations are larger withthicker bills, but large individu-

als occur throughout the range.Therefore, bill color and sizemust be used cautiously in fieldseparation of the two species.Habitat. The Red-faced Cor-morant is a marine species, breed-ing along rocky coasts and off-shore islands (Orta 1992). Itusually roosts on offshore rocksor protected rocky outcroppingsnear cliffs and is rarely noted onflat ground (Siegel-Causey 1988).

According to Causey (2002),

Table 1. Field Marks of Red-faced and Pelagic Cormorants.

Character Red-faced Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant ReferenceBill thicker; light-brown to dark- thinner; blackish (juvenile) Farrand (1983),

yellow; deeper base; base of to light gray (adult); shorter; Johnsgard (1993)culmen concave; juvenile more parallel-sidedhas dusky culmen

Facial skin in alternate plumage, brighter in alternate plumage, ranges Hobson (1997),

scarlet and more extensive from dull red to vivid ruby or Causey (2002)magenta; more restricted overall

Head thicker than neck usually the same diameter as Zimmer (2000)

that of the neckNeck thicker-necked and more thinner and straighter; Farrand (1983),

hunched- or crooked-necked pencil-like G. Bieber(personalcommunication)

Wing brownish; upperwing surface on blackish; on adults, no obvious Stallcup (1996)

adults contrasts sharply with contrast between upperwingsglossy iridescent body and back

Back violet gloss greenish gloss Palmer (1962)Overall larger, bulkier, stockier; smaller; more slender-bodied; Causey (2002),build pot-bellied more streamlined G. Bieber

(personalcommunication)

Whats in a Name?

What we call the Red-faced Cormorant is known in other parts of theworld as the Red-faced Shag. What is the difference between a cor-

morant and a shag? The names cormorant and shag were originally

those of two species found in Britain, namely, the Great Cormorant

(which also occurs in the ABA Area) and the Common Shag (P. aris-

totelis). Shagrefers to the birds crest. As other species were discovered

elsewhere by English-speaking explorers, some were called cormorants

and some shags, depending on whether or not they had crests (Alexan-

der 1954). In modern usage, according to Causey (2002), shags have

longer, more-slender bills, heads, and bodies than cormorants, and they

are rarely found far from marine habitats and rocky shores; cormorants

have robust bills and stocky bodies, and they commonly breed at inland

colonies near lakes or rivers, even in trees.



Red-faced Cormorants are commonly observed near is-lands and rocky shores; however, they forage farther out tosea than do Pelagics. Individuals that are noted feeding inwater deeper than 200 meters or at distances greater than20 kilometers from shore are likely wandering or non-

breeding adults (Causey 2002).

DISTRIBUTION

Breeding RangeNorth America. The Red-faced Cormorant breeds from theAlaskan Peninsula west through the Aleutians to Attu Is-land. Scattered colonies are found around the Gulf of Alas-ka, especially at Shumagin and Kodiak Islands. There arealso a few scattered colonies north of the Alaska Peninsulain Bristol Bay, north to Cape Newenham, and on NunivakIsland. The northernmost breeding colony is at St. Paul Is-

land, in the Pribilofs. The easternmost colony is on Kayak

Island. The largestcolonies in NorthAmerican waters are

in the Near IslandsAttu, Agattu, and Niz-ki-Alaid (Trapp 1985).Asia. The Asian breed-ing range extends westfrom the Aleutian Is-lands, through theCommander Islands,through southeasternKamchatka Peninsula,and into the Kuril Is-lands to northern

Japan. The colonies onthe shores of Kam-chatka are the onlyones known on theAsian continent. In

Japan, colonies arefound as far south asMoyururi Island andat scattered sites alongcoastal Hokkaido.

Winter RangeNorth America. Thespecies is not migrato-ry. Adults and imma-tures feed near thebreeding areas, butthey are more dis-

persed in winter. Some surveys, however, may not accu-rately distinguish Red-faced from Pelagic; thus reports ofoutliers may be unreliable.Asia. Red-faced is resident year-round in Asia throughoutthe breeding range, as in North American waters.

Postbreeding DispersalIndividuals disperse from breeding colonies but are gener-ally not encountered outside of the breeding range. Non-breeders are observed commonly near breeding colonies.Little information exists on movements and behaviors fol-lowing nest departures.

Casual Records and ReportsTable 2 (p. 645) presents a summary of both accepted andhypothetical extralimital records of Red-faced Cormorant.Stallcup (1996) sizes up the situation succinctly: The lack

of extralimital records may be due to the fact that field


St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. Greg Downing. St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. Greg Downing.

As is the case with so many difficult groups of birds, the best way to approach the Red-faced vs. Pelagic conundrum is to start off withsafeindividuals that you can confidently identify. Both of these birds are adult Red-faced Cormorants in alternate plumage. Points tonote include the following: extensive red on the face (completely encircling the eye); variable but prominent horn or yellow tones to thebill; and the thick, purple-glossed neck (but beware of subjectivity and variation).



ornithologists do not search for[the birds].

DEMOGRAPHY ANDPOPULATIONS

Population EstimatesMost recently, Wetlands Interna-tional (2002) estimated theNorthern Pacific population ofRed-faced Cormorant to be200,000, with the North Ameri-can component at


9/11

Harbor. The best places to see the Red-faced Cormorantand the degree of difficulty of finding it are as follows:

South-central Alaska

Homer / Kachemak Bay: Easy Seward / Kenai Fords National Park: Easy Kodiak Island: Medium Cordova: Easy

Southwestern Alaska

Katmai National Park / Brecharof NWR: Medium Pribilofs: Easy Adak: Easy Attu: Easy (if you can get there!)

A Birders Guide to Kachemak Bay (KBSFSC 2004) toutsKachemak Bay as the most accessible and reliable place inAlaska to see the Red-faced Cormorant. Homer is locatedon the southwestern shore of the Kenai Peninsula and onthe north shore of Kachemak Bay, and it can be reached bya scenic 45-hour drive from Anchorage or by regular com-mercial flights. Red-faced Cormorants are readily seen dur-ing boat tours of Gull Island, only a few miles from the endof the spit, an easily accessible seabird colony. Red-facedand Pelagic are resident breeders; they are common inspring, summer, and fall. Double-crested is uncommon andis probably a breeder. Brandts is accidental here.

The best time for sighting the species is during the spring

and early summer season (May and June), when the birdsare at or near their nesting colonies and the breeding birdsare in their distinctive alternate plumage.

AcknowledgmentsI thank the following persons for their assistance with thisarticle: George Armistead (Tanadgusix Corporation), YuriArtukhin (Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Institute of Geog-raphy), Gavin Bieber (Tanadgusix), G. Vernon Byrd (U. S.Fish & Wildlife Service), Douglas Causey (Harvard Uni-versity), Will Duckworth, Lynda Garrett (Patuxent WildlifeResearch Center), Mary Gustafson (Patuxent), Steve

Mlodinow, Charlie and Nial Moores, Daniel D. Gibson(University of Alaska), Steve Heinl (Alaska Department ofFish & Game), Peter Pyle (Point Reyes Bird Observatory),

Jevgeni Shergalin, Dave Sonneborn, Thede Tobish, GeorgeWest, and Jeff Williams (U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service).

Literature CitedAlexander, W.B. 1954. Birds of the Ocean. G.P. Putnams Sons, New York.

American OrnithologistsUnion [AOU]. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds,

seventh edition. American Ornithologists Union, Washington.

Bain, M., and D. Shanahan. 1999. Cross Canada round-up. Birders Journal

8:158176.

B I R D I N G N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 5646


Subadult Red-faced (left; U. S. National Museum #62531) and Pelagic (right; U. S. National Museum#75919) Cormorants are especially challenging. On the Red-faced, note the thicker bill and the l ightlower mandible. On the Pelagic, the bill is thinner and darker overall. Photograph by Phil Davis.

The Red-faced Cormorant remains a surprisingly poorly knownspecies. Patterns of vagrancy, seasonal dispersal, and long-term popula-tion change are not well described, and birders in the field can con-tribute significantly to our understanding of these aspects of the biologyof the species.St. Paul Island, Alaska; June 2003. Greg Downing.

continued on page 648




Brazil, M.A. 1991. The Birds of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, Washington.

Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, J.M. Cooper, G.W. Kaiser, and

M.C.E. McNall. 1990. The Birds of British Columbia: Non-passerines, vol. 1. Roy-

al British Columbia Museum, Victoria.

Causey, D. 2002. Red-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax urile), in: A. Poole and F.

Gill, eds. The Birds of North America, no. 617. Birds of North America,

Philadelphia.

Cheng, T.H. 1955. Chung Kuo Niao Lei Fen Pu Mu Lu. Academia Sinica, Peking.

Cheng, T.H. 1976.A Distributional List of Chinese Birds. Science Press, Beijing.

Cheng, T.H. 1987.A Synopsis of the Avifauna of China. Science Press, Beijing.

Davis, P. 2005. Status of Red-faced Cormorant in the northern Bering Sea.

Western Birds in review.

Farrand, J., ed. 1983. The Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding , vol. 1. Chan-

ticleer Press, New York.

Force, M. 2001. Probable Red-faced Cormorant in British Columbia. Birders

Journal10:249252.Gibson, D.D. 1980. Alaska region. American Birds 34:298299.

Godfrey, W.E. 1966. The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa.

Hobson, K.A. 1997. Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus), in: A. Poole

and F. Gill, eds. The Birds of North America, no. 282. Birds of North America,

Philadelphia.

Johnsgard, P.A. 1993. Cormorants, Darters, and Pelicans of the World. Smithson-

ian Institution Press, Washington.

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival Steering Committee [KBSFSC]. 2004. Birders Guide

to Kachemak Bay. . Web site visited 25 July 2004.

Kennedy, M., R.D. Gray, and H.G. Spencer. 2000. The phylogenetic relationships

of the shags and cormorants: Can sequence data resolve a disagreement

between behavior and morphology? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution

17:345359.

Kessel, B., and D.D. Gibson. 1994. A century of avifaunal change in Alaska, in:

J.R. Jehl and N.K. Johnson, eds. A Century of Avifaunal Change in Western

North America. Studies in Avian Biology, no. 15.

MacKinnon, J., and K. Phillips. 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of China. Oxford

University Press, New York.

Martins, R.P. 1988. Selected bird observations from Japan: Winter and spring

1980.Journal of the Yamashina Institute Ornithology20:5456.

Mattocks, P.W. 1988. Northern Pacific Coast Region. American Birds

42:13311335.

Mlodinow, S.G., and S. Pink. 2000. Red-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax urile) in

Clallam County: A first record for the contiguous United States. Washington

Birds 7:4650.

Nelson, E.W. 1883. Cruise of the Revenue Marine Steamer, Corwin, in Alaska and

the N.W. Arctic Ocean in 1881. Government Printing Office, Washington.

Nelson, E.W. 1887. Report upon Natural History Collections made in Alaska be-

tween the Years 1877 and 1881 . Arctic Series of Publications, Signal Service,

U.S. Army, no. 3.

Orta, J. 1992. Family Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants), in: J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott,

and J. Sargatal, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 1. Lynx Edicions,

Barcelona.

Palmer, R.S. 1962. Handbook of North American Birds, vol. 1. Yale University

Press, New Haven.

Patterson, M. 2004. Washington/Oregon, in: Summary of the 104th Christmas

Bird Count.American Birds 58:9899.

Sibley, D.A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Knopf, New York.Sibley, C.G., and J.E. Alquist. 1990. Phylogeny and Classification of the Birds of

the World. Yale University Press, New Haven.

Siegel-Causey, D. 1988. Phylogeny of the Phalacrocoracidae. Condor

90:885905.

Siegel-Causey, D., C. Lefevre, and A.B. Savinetskii. 1991. Historical diversity

of cormorants and shags from Amchitka Island, Alaska. Condor

93:840852.

Stallcup, R.S. 1996. Focus: Cormorants revisited. Point Reyes Bird Observatory

Newsletter57:45.

Taverner, P.A. 1927. Some recent Canadian records. Auk44:217228.

Tobish, T.G. 2002. Alaska region. North American Birds 56:343345.

Trapp, J.L. 1985. Bird and Mammal Observations at Alaid and Nizki Islands, Aleut-

ian Islands, Alaska, Spring and Summer 1976 . U.S. Fish & Wildlife report no.

FWLB0934ARLISS, Anchorage.

Tweit, B., G. Lillie, and S. Mlodinow. 1999. Oregon-Washington region. North

American Birds 53:320324.

West, G.C. 2002. A Birders Guide to Alaska. American Birding Association,

Colorado Springs.

Wetlands International. 2002. Waterbird Population Estimates, third edition.

Wetlands International Global Series no. 12, Wageningen.

Zimmer, K.J. 2000. Birding in the American West: A Handbook. Cornell Universi-

ty Press, Ithaca.

continued from page 646

Other Species Were Discovered Alaskan Birders Report Observational

Documents

Transcript of Other Species Were Discovered Alaskan Birders Report Observational