Short abstract from the book: The great cormorant recolonised Denmark in 1938 after
a long period of persecution. The species was protected by
law in 1972, and today the breeding population consists
of 39,000 pairs in 50–60 colonies. Ringing of the great
cormorant began in 1940. Of a total of 36,203 ringed
great cormorants, 4,606 have been recovered dead. Most
birds were ringed as chicks in May–June.
The Danish great cormorants leave the colonies in July–
August, but 84 % are still found within 400 km until
October. The autumn migration peaks in September–
November, with adults leaving Denmark before young
birds. Some birds migrate along the European west coast
to the Netherlands and Belgium, where most Danish birds
are found in September–October. Others migrate almost
due S from Denmark to the Alpine lakes. During winter
Danish great cormorants are found all over western and
southern Europe and North Africa. Most are recovered
around the Mediterranean. Six per cent are recovered in
Denmark during winter. The mean position during winter
was further north in 1990–2002 than previously.
Most birds depart from the Mediterranean in February–
March, with the spring migration following the same route
as in autumn. The first birds to arrive in the colonies in
January–February have often spent the winter in northern
Europe. Most birds return in March–April. Some one-yearold birds have been recovered from southern Europe during
summer. Birds from Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Baltic
countries, Germany and the Netherlands have been found
in Denmark in July–October. Many great cormorants
have been recovered drowned in fishing nets (27 % of the
total number of dead birds). Most (74 %) of these were
young birds in their first year. Hunting is the second most
common cause of death (18 % of the total number of dead
birds).
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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