Flutuações sazonais na abundância de Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Gmelin) no estuário do Saco da Fazenda, Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brasil Seasonal changes in the abundance of Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Gmelin) in the estuary of Saco da Fazenda, Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil

<abstract language="eng">The Neotropic cormorant is one of the most comm on estuarine birds along SantaCatarina's shore, especially in artisanal fishery areas, where it obtains food easily. During the period from January, 1996 to December, 1999, and of January to December, 2001, the cormorants were monitored monthly in the estuary. The population P. brasilianus (Gmelin, 1789) presented seasonal changes with the same annual pattern of increment of the abundance. Significant differences were recorded between the seasons and the medium abundance of birds. Those differences can be attributed to the events of the life cicle of the species and the oscillations in the estuary water temperature