Seabirds form important components of marine ecosystems, serving as top predators that indicate long-term stability through feeding interactions. Many species of seabirds reside within the Arabian Gulf although their role in this marine system is not well characterized. Furthermore, oil exploitation and development activities have reduced many species significantly. In this review, I use the Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) as an example of the biology, movement and conservation of seabirds in the Arabian Gulf. Socotra Cormorants are among the most numerically abundant seabirds residing within the Arabian Gulf. The species has a restricted range spanning from Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and south into the Gulf of Aden. They are categorized as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Between 56,800-82,800 breeding pairs occur in the United Arab Emirates on 9-12 islands. Breeding season stretches from August to December although delayed or disrupted breeding could result in breeding seasons extending to March. They feed on small forage fish including anchovies (Encrasicholina spp.) with potentially high biomass of small fish taken annually totaling to 11,000-18,000 tons annually. Foraging activities occur in coastal, shallow waters under 15m in depth. On Siniya Island in the east, migration begins in December and birds fly to the central portion of the Arabian Gulf within waters of Abu Dhabi. Summer roosting areas could be associated with movement of fish in to deeper, low-productivity waters during the harsh summers. Patterns of foraging during the breeding season and migration after breeding activities highlight areas that need protection. Future protection of the species would require coordination between different jurisdictions within UAE as well as in Oman.

中文翻译：

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阿拉伯湾的索科特拉鸬鹚：繁殖生物学、饲养生态学、运动和保护的回顾

海鸟是海洋生态系统的重要组成部分，是顶级捕食者，通过摄食相互作用表明长期稳定。许多种类的海鸟生活在阿拉伯湾内，尽管它们在这个海洋系统中的作用还没有得到很好的描述。此外，石油开采和开发活动大大减少了许多物种。在这篇评论中，我使用索科特拉鸬鹚（Phalacrocorax nigrogularis）作为阿拉伯湾海鸟生物学、运动和保护的一个例子。索科特拉鸬鹚是居住在阿拉伯湾内数量最多的海鸟之一。该物种的范围有限，从阿拉伯湾、阿曼湾和南到亚丁湾。它们被 IUCN 归类为易危物种。在 56,800-82 之间，在阿拉伯联合酋长国的 9-12 个岛屿上有 800 对繁殖对。繁殖季节从 8 月持续到 12 月，但延迟或中断繁殖可能导致繁殖季节延长至 3 月。它们以包括凤尾鱼 (Encrasicholina spp.) 在内的小型饲料鱼为食，每年捕捞的小型鱼的生物量可能很高，总计 11,000-18,000 吨。觅食活动发生在深度低于 15m 的沿海浅水区。在东部的锡尼亚岛，12 月开始迁徙，鸟类飞到阿布扎比水域内的阿拉伯湾中部。在严酷的夏季，夏季栖息地可能与鱼类进入更深、生产力低下的水域有关。繁殖季节的觅食模式和繁殖活动后的迁徙突出了需要保护的区域。