The spectacled cormorant or Pallas's cormorant is an extinct marine bird of the cormorant family of seabirds that inhabited Bering Island and possibly other places in the Commander Islands and the nearby coast of Kamchatka in the far northeast of Russia. The modern distribution was shown to be a relict of a wider prehistoric distribution in 2018 when fossils of the species from 120,000 years ago were found in Japan. It is the largest species of cormorant known to have existed.
Region
North Pacific (Commander Islands and Kamchatka)
Typical Environment
Historically confined to Bering Island and possibly adjacent Commander Islands, with foraging centered along rocky, kelp-fringed coasts. It frequented sheltered bays, reefs, and nearshore waters with abundant fish and invertebrates. Nesting likely occurred on low offshore islets, rocky ledges, and coastal cliffs with limited terrestrial predators. Prehistoric fossils indicate the species once occurred farther south in Japan, suggesting a broader Late Pleistocene range. Human exploitation rapidly reduced the remaining island populations in the 18th–19th centuries.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 100 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as Pallas's cormorant, this species was the largest cormorant ever recorded and is now extinct. It was restricted in historic times to Bering Island and nearby parts of the Commander Islands, where it was a heavy-bodied, poor flier that foraged close to shore. The 'spectacled' name refers to its conspicuous pale ring of bare skin around the eye. Fossils show it had a broader prehistoric range reaching as far as Japan.
Temperament
colonial and somewhat wary at sea but relatively tame on land
Flight Pattern
heavy, low over water with labored wingbeats; reluctant flier
Social Behavior
Typically bred in colonies on offshore rocks and islets. Likely formed monogamous pairs during the breeding season and nested on ledges or flat rocky ground. Outside breeding, individuals gathered in small groups to rest and dry on exposed rocks.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Generally quiet; vocalizations consisted of low, guttural croaks and grunts at colonies. Calls were used in close-range social interactions and mate communication.
