Number and distribution of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo in Switzerland in January 2013

The IUCN/Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group organised a coordinated roost count of cormorants in January 2013, the second such count for the Western Palearctic after the one in 2003. This report presents the results for Switzerland, where the census was coordinated by the Swiss Ornithological Institute. In total, 2873 Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo were counted in Switzerland, 3763 if the roosts across the borders to adjacent countries are included. Overall, 54 occupied roosts were found, 42 of which were on Swiss territory. The number of cormorants was smaller than in 2003, when a total of 4201 (5885 with roosts across the border) were recorded.