1. © Professor W.G. Hale
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2. A little history about the Cormorant
Cormorants are a type of seabird that inhabit both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, from the pygmy cormorant of Australia, the cape cormorant of South Africa to the great cormorant we see on UK shores.
Some fossil remains suggest they are an ancient group of birds, dating back to the era of the dinosaurs.
In the UK vast numbers of cormorants gather to overwinter on our shores and inland areas of water.
Cormorants are excellent fishing birds, surface diving and using their powerful legs to propel them in the water to chase their prey. After fishing, they can be seen on the shore holding their wings out, just like in the picture you can see.
An ancient tradition of fishermen use cormorants as fishing birds is still practised by a few fishermen in China. Watch this link!
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3. The flightless cormorant
Phalacrocorax harrisi
Endemic to the Galapagos Islands, this is the only species of cormorant that has lost the ability to fly. The rich waters surrounding the islands meant the birds didn’t need leave to feed, and so evolution favoured the ability to dive and swim over flight. A lack of land predators meant the birds did not have to fly to escape predation. As a consequence, the need for flight and the energy it required was lessened.
Evolving to become flightless has led to variations in the physiology of the birds compared to other cormorants – that is, the way in which the body parts are designed and function.
Your mission for today is to investigate the physiology of the flightless cormorant
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4. Click here for cormorant clips
Challenge task!
Watch the following short clips of the flightless cormorant showing its effective hunting technique and how it manoeuvres around the rocky shores of its home.
As you are watching think about the physiology and behaviour of the cormorant and questions you would like answered. For example –
Why does it sit on the shore and hold its wings out?
Which part of the body does it use to propel it through the water?
How is it able to swim so quickly? and so on…
Click here for cormorant clips
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5. Partner challenge!
Using your ideas from the video clips, write 5 questions on the cormorant cards provided that you would like answered. If you have an idea of the answer you can still write the question.
Choose a partner who will have done the same.
Now is the time to test each others scientific knowledge and understanding!
Swap sets of cards and lay them face down in front of you.
Take it in turns to turn over each other’s cards and read the question. Answer as best you can.
If your partner thinks you have answered the question well you can leave the card face up. If not you have to put the card face down again.
Who has the most cards face up?
Were some of your questions the same?
Discuss and share your ideas and theories with the rest of the class on the physiology of this amazing flightless bird.
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6. On closer observation…
There are other physiological adaptations of the flightless cormorant that are more difficult to observe unless you are a cormorant specialist! Let’s have a look at them.
Compared to similar species of cormorants, the flightless cormorant is much larger and heavier, including the beak and foot size.
Bones of birds are very buoyant. A reduced wing size would lead to a more dense bird which would therefore be able to dive to feed more easily.
© Simon Pierce
Part of the breastbone called the keel, where large flight muscles are attached, is much smaller. Look here
It has tiny wings compared to the size of its body.
Body feathers are thicker and softer than other similar cormorant species.
As their wings have lost some of their waterproofing, they hold them out after a dive to dry out.
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