AXIAL MIGRATION ROUTES IN CORMORANTS PHALACROCORAX-CARBO PASSING THROUGH OR WINTERING IN SWITZERLAND

Sightings of colour rings were used to study the origin of wintering a nd migrating Cormorants in Switzerland between 1977 and 1988. The reco rded individuals originated from all parts of the breeding range of si nensis and included also two carbo birds from Norway. According to the recovery rate of each colony/colonies most birds present in Switzerla nd belong to the Danish population. Significant lower recovery rates w ere found for eastern Germany, Poland and Sweden, while that for The N etherlands was comparable to western Denmark. These data suggest a wes t-east axial migration pattern, in which Cormorants predominantly disp erse SSW from their breeding areas.