A Preliminary Report on Reproductive Success of Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) at Qinghai Lake

The success of different stages of reproduction in cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) was followed at Luci Island in Qinghai Lake in the breeding season from March to August 2000.The clutch size was 3.5;hatch rate,survival rate of nestlings,and total rate of reproductive success was 37.9%,61.1%,and 23.2%,respectively.The loss rate was 36.1% for nests in first 3 days of incubation,and 25% for nestlings in the first 10 days.These data may be viewed as part of the baseline for long-term monitoring changes in the bird population,which is an important element of the wetland ecosystem.