Michele Mendi

Colonial breeder which occupies various well-vegetated fresh-water wetlands – marshes, lakes, deltas, slow-flowing river systems. In winter, it can be seen on brackish or salt water as well (Nelson 2005).

It occurs discontinuously from SE Europe and Asia Minor E to C Asia (Tajikistan), N part of Middle East. Romania holds the bulk of European breeding population. Partially migratory; some populations undertake short-distance movements, others are resident. N populations winter in S part of the range (Orta et al. 2020).

Its population trend in Europe is increasing. Evaluated as “Least Concern” (BirdLife International 2021).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendIncreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		84600-111000,96600
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Pygmy Cormorant

In general, migratory populations undertake short-distance movements to non-freezing wetlands S from the breeding grounds during winter.

Birds breeding in Italy have been encountered having moved short distances N from their breeding sites along the N Adriatic coast. Marked birds from the Hungarian population have been mostly involved into within-country encounters. Birds ringed in N Serbia have been encountered SE, S & W from their breeding sites. Marked birds from the Danube Delta (Romania) have been found SW from their colonies – in Montenegro (ca. 800km) and N Macedonia (ca. 600km); the latter case involve two birds ringed and wintering together. W & SW Caspian Sea population overwinters mainly locally – in S Azerbaijan, but some birds have been recorded in SE Iran and Saudi Arabia (Ilichev 1978).

Recoveries by Condition for Pygmy Cormorant

Currently protected species in Europe. Most encounters are obtained after 2013 (ca. 36%). They are spread throughout the whole year but the majority are from the breeding season (in Jun ca. 33%). Due to colour-ringing projects the number of encounters increased considerably over the years – 77% of all are based on alive birds after 1991 (primarily from Hungary). The encounters based on dead birds (primarily as a result of shooting) markedly decreased from 100% before 1960 and 70% in 1961-1990 to ca. 20% after 1991. The level of importance of drowning in fishing nets as a negative factor was previously considered unknown (Crivelli et al. 1996), but ringing encounters could be of use providing additional data (ca. 6% of all cases after 1991).

The overall sample size contains very limited number of encounters.

Annual Movements for Pygmy Cormorant

Birds from the N Italian population have been encountered wintering - mostly Dec-Feb (range Oct-Mar), close to and N from their colonies. Hungarian breeders have been encountered between Aug and Jan within the country, as well as in some neighbouring countries during autumn (Oct, Slovenia) and spring migration (Apr, Croatia). Birds breeding in Serbia along the Danube have been encountered (1) further SE downstream (Sep, Romania) and W Bulgaria (Apr), (2) or W upstream Sava River (Oct) and (3) further S, in Albania (Dec). Danube Delta breeders take SW routes to overwinter along the Adriatic coast (Nov, Montenegro) or inland (Dec, Doiran Lake). Birds breeding in Dagestan (Russia) and Azerbaijan overwinter mostly locally – along the SW & S Caspian coast or on inland wetlands (Ilichev 1978).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Pygmy Cormorant

Post-breeding dispersal and autumn migration are evident from late summer, the wintering sites are normally reached in late autumn – early winter.

The movements towards the wintering sites on the Balkan Peninsula (both along the coasts and inland wetlands) could follow SW, S & SE directions to lower latitudes. On the opposite, in N Italy migration further N from the breeding grounds has been recorded. The Caspian Sea region involves migratory movements mostly along the N-S axis. Breeding sites are occupied normally early- to mid-spring.

Birds marked in just four countries responsible for the small number of encounters (Hungary, Italy, Serbia and Azerbaijan).

Boris Nikolov

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
1978 . Migrations of birds of Eastern Europe and Northern Asia: Gaviiformes – Ciconiiformes. Nauka, MoscowEditor(s): Ilichev, V. (ed.)
BirdLife International2021 . Species factsheet: Microcarbo pygmaeus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/07/2021.
Crivelli, A., Nazirides, T., Jerentrup, H. 1996 . Action plan for the Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus) in Europe. Birdlife International, Wageningen, Germany
Nelson, B. 2005 . Bird Families of the World: Pelicans, Cormorants and their relatives. Pelecanidae, Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Fregatidae, Phaethontidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK
Orta, J., D. A. Christie, F. Jutglar, E. F. J. Garcia, and G. M. Kirwan 2020 . Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.pygcor2.01) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA

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