Keller, Carss, Helbig & Flade. Cormorants: Ecology and Management.

Title

Cormorants: Ecology and Management at the Start of the 21st Century: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Cormorants in Freising, Germany, 17-21 December 2000

Editors

Keller, Thomas M.; Carss, David N.; Helbig, Andreas J.; Flade, Martin; Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group

Series

Die Vogelwelt: Beiträge zur Vogelkunde, 124th year, 2003, Supplement

Introduction

Van Eerden, Mennobert R.; Keller, Thomas M.; Carss, David N.

Publisher

AULA-Verlag, Wiebelsheim

Year

2003

ISBN

3-89104-667-7 (hardcover)

Illustrations

Delpho, Manfred; et al. (photos, distribution maps, drawings)

Table of Contents

Van Eerden, M. R., Keller, T. & Carss, D. N.: Vorwort 11
I Population developments in breeding and wintering areas
Bregnballe, T. et al.: Development of the breeding populations of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden during the 1990s 15
Kameda, K. et al.: Population in crease of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae in Japan: conflicts with fisheries and trees and future perspectives 27
Marion, L.: Recent development of the breeding and wintering population of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo in France – Preliminary results of the effects of a management plan of the species 35
Martincová, R. & P. Musil: Current status of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in the Czech Republic: numbers, distribution and management plan 41
Mellin, M. & I. Mirowska-Ibron: Population trends of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in NE Poland (1993 - 1999) 49
Paquet, J.-Y. et al.: Year-to-year site-fidelity of wintering and migrating Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo in the Belgian Meuse valley 53
Parz-Gollner, R.: Monitoring of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in Lower Austria (1996 - 2000): phenology, regional distribution and control actions 61
Røv, N. et al.: Status and trends in the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo carbo populations in Norway and the Barents Sea Region 71
Rusanen, P. & A. Gaginskaya: The Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis as a breeding species of the Leningrad Region, Russia 77
Rusanen, P. et al.: Current research and trends of Finland's Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis population 79
Rusev, I. T. & A. I. Korzyukov: The current status and protection of the Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmaeus in the Ukraine 83
Samusenko, I.: Recent development of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo breeding population in Belarus 87
Valponi, S. & P. Addis: Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in two key Italian wintering areas 93
Yésou, P. & P. Triplet: Taming the delta of the Senegal river, West Africa: effects on Long-tailed and Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus, P. carbo lucidus and Darter Anhinga melanogaster rufa 99
Colour plates 1 - 8 105
II Breeding ecology, behaviour, dispersion
Bregnballe, T. & J. Gregersen: Breeding success of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in the Vorsø colony: variation among colony sections 115
Frederiksen, M. et al.: Estimating turnover at a staging site: how many Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis-used the Lake Geneva roost in autumn 1987? 123
Kopciewicz, P. et al.: Changes in the breeding success of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in the expanding colony at Katy Rybackie (N Poland): effect of phenology and age of subcolony 127
Krag, J. S. M.: Variation in nest survival within a Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis colony 131
Liordos, V. & V. Goutner: Breeding population, cluth and egg size of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo in Greece 139
Newton, S. E. & T. Bregnballe: Estimating reproductive success of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo: reliability and limitations of current methodology 143
Piertney, S. B. et al.: Popultion variation in the frequency of extra-pair paternity in the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 149
Russell, I. C. et al.: Multi-disciplinary analysis of Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo carcasses 157
Van Rijn, S. et al.: Body condition of young Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis as an indicator of colony performance 167
III Diet assessment, feeding ecology and physiology
Bzoma, S. et al.: Seasonal changes and intra-colony differentiation in the exploitation of two feeding grounds by Great Cormorants breeding at Katy Rybackie (N Poland) 175
Carpentier, A. & L. Marion: Monitoring the daily food intake of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo: comparison between chick regurgitations and automatic weighing of nests 183
Engström, H. & L. Jonsson: Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis diet in relation to fish community structure in a freshwater lake 187
Goc, M. et al.: Daily, seasonal and interseasonal variation in the timing of foraging flights at the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis breeding colony at Katy Rybackie (N Poland) 197
Grémillet, D. et al.: Modelling energetic bottlenecks and foraging habitat untilization in the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo: the potential of a GIS approach 205
Iliszko, L. & K. Kozl'owska: Pellet production by Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis at the Katy Rybackie, N Poland 213
Martyniak, A. et al.: Diet composition of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis at Katy Rybackie, N Poland, as assessed by pellets and regurgitated prey 217
McKay, H. et al.: The limitations of pellet analysis in the study of cormorant Phalacrocorax spp. diet 227
Privileggi, N.: Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis wintering in the Fiuili-Venezia Giulia, Northern Adriatic: specific and quantitative diet composition 237
Russell, I. C. et al.: The use of coded-wire microtags to assess prey selectivity and foraging behaviour in Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo 245
Russell, I. C. et al.: Stomach content analysis of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo at some different fishery types in England and Wales 255
Stempniewicz, L. et al.: Interrelationships between Ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus and Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in the Vistula Lagoon, N Poland 261
Strod, T. at al.: Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo swallow fish under water 270
Trauttmannsdorff, J.: Analysis of Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis stomach contents from different areas of Austria and Liechtenstein 271
Van Eerden, M. R. et al.: How Zebra Mussels Dreissena polymorpha, Smelt Osmerus eperlanus and commercial fisheries interact with Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in Lake IJsselmeer: the food web cascade revisited 277
Wziatek, B. et al.: Composition of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis diet in the Drawien National Park, NW-Poland 291
IV Managing Comorant interactions with human interests
Carss, D. N. et al.: Reducing the conflict between Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo and fisheries on a pan-European scale: REDCAFE opens for business 299
Davies, J. M. et al.: The use of a Monte Carlo Simulation model to estimate the impact of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo at an inland fishery in England 309
Farquhar, J. F. III et al.: Human harassment and Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus nesting at three colonies in Lake Ontario, New York, USA: observations from a management program 319
Frederiksen, M. et al.: Modelling the effect of winter culls on Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis population size in Europe: the importance of spatial variability in culling intensity 325
Ishida, A. et al.: Management of Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae colonies in Japan 331
Keller, T. M. & U. Lanz: Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis management in Bavaria, southern Germany – What can we learn from seven winters with intensive shooting? 339
Seiche, K.: The confilicts between Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis and Carp fish farming: attempted resolution and strategy in Saxony, Germany 349
Shy, E. et al.: Resolving the conflict between Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo and aquaculture in Israel 355
Werner, S. J. & S. L. Hanisch: Status of Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus research and management in North America 369
Wilson B. R. et al.: Increasing confidence in impact estimates – The Monte Carlo approach 375
Wires, L. et al.: Transcontinental connections in relation to cormorant - fisheries conflicts: perceptions and realities of a "bête noir" (black beast) on both sides of the Atlantic 389
Index 401

Bibliography

References at the end of each article

Index

Author index; Country index

Pages

402

Categories

cormorant, Phalacrocorax, ecology, wildlife management, birds, ornithology, wildlife research, scientific conference

Language

English (en) with German (de) translations of table of contents, summaries, and captions of figures and tables

From the cover

For many years, Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo have regularly hit the headlines in newspapers and magazines across Europe, fuelling controversy about their dramatic 'invasion'. On one hand, the spectacular increase in the continental population Ph. c. sinensis is considered a success story in terms of nature conservation. A top predator has been reinstated through the joint efforts of protective measures and improving conditions in the aquatic environment. On the other hand, the increased numbers and expansion of the birds' range have caused great concern to many people who have to make a living from aquatic habitats. Up to now no single solution or pan-European Cormorant control measure has been adopted. Nevertheless, the general national and international debate and numerous site-specific management initiatives at the local level have benefited greatly from the large number of studies into the ecology of Great Cormorants and their interactions with the environment.
Nowhere in Europe has a wild bird population been followed in such detail as that of the continental race of the Great Cormorant. The Cormorant Research Group has served as platform to stimulate and co-ordinate these information streams over the years. Ecological, behavioural and demographic studies form a major part of the 50 contributions to this special issue. However, applied issues are also considered and many studies refer to management measures that have been taken with respect to the birds' interaction with fisheries.
Trends in numbers and distribution, particularly of the continental race of the Great Cormorant, are an important topic of these proceedings. However, it will also be dealt with the less frequently reported Ph. c. carbo in the Barents Sea region. Interesting parallels between Ph. c. sinensis and the North American Double-crested Cormorant Ph. auritus show both the simultaneous developments in bird populations and human perceptions but also the different perspectives on cormorants on both sides of the Atlantic. Also included are reports about less frequently described cormorant species and subspecies such as Ph. c. lucidus, Ph. c. hanedae, the Pygmy Cormorant Ph. pygmaeus, the Long-tailed Cormorant Ph. africanus and the Darter Anhinga melanogaster rufa.

From the publisher

The Cormorant - Status and Trends
Conflict Resolutions for a "Problem Bird"
The Great Cormorant is one of the best-known "problem birds", with which the interests of bird conservation are to be brought in agreement with those of the fishery industry. The basis for a conflict resolution can only be a good knowledge of the actual status, diet and different possibilities of population control.
The most important contributions of the 5th International Conference on Cormorants are summarised and brought up to date in this volume. The emphasis thereby is on population trends, diet and management of the continental race of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis in Europe. There are also contributions on further subspecies of the Great Cormorant in Norway, the Barents Sea, Japan and Senegal. Furthermore interesting parallels between the population trends and public perception of the Great Cormorant in Europe and the Double-crested Cormorant in North America are shown. Finally the situation of the threatened Pygmy Cormorant in the Ukraine is dealt with. Altogether 50 works are presented here, with reports from 19 European and 5 non-European countries. The volume offers an overview of the biology and current situation of the Great Cormorant in Europe and far beyond. The contributions are in English with detailed German summaries and bilingual legends of illustrations and tables.

My Summary

One hears many different conflicting figures from various interest groups such as birdwatchers, ornithologists, conservationists, fishermen and hunters on the numbers of cormorants present, the amount, species and size of fish they eat, how many birds are shot each year, whether shootings are necessary or effective in controlling the birds, and whether there are management alternatives. These conflicting, subjective figures invariably exacerbate conflicting views and do not lead to solutions. Objective, scientific studies on the bird provide the basis for a more objective discussion of the issues. This volume deals with all the subjects above and more and can therefore help lead to a solution.
—Robbin D. Knapp © 2005

See and/or order this title at Amazon.de:

• Cormorants: Ecology and Management, Die Vogelwelt, 124, hardcover, 402 pages, AULA-Verlag, 2003