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Great Cormorant
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Gert Paassen (Gert-Paassen)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 509 W: 2 N: 2049]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (6428) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2006-04-14 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-07-21 21:31 |
| Viewed: 447 |
| Points: 30 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch] |
Today a bird that I take in a colony from the Cormorant.
It were taken in the evening and against the sun.
There live about 650 breeding pair in these colony.
Latin name - Phalacrocorax carbo
The Great Cormorant, known as the Great Black Cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the Black Cormorant in Australia and the Black Shag further south in New Zealand, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It breeds in much of the Old World and the Atlantic coast of North America.
The Great Cormorant is a large black bird, 77-94 cm in length with a 121-149 cm wingspan. It has a longish tail and yellow throat-patch. Adults have white thigh patches in the breeding season. In European waters it can be distinguished from the Common Shag by its larger size, heavier build, thicker bill, lack of a crest and plumage without any green tinge.
In eastern North America, it is similarly larger and bulkier than Double-crested Cormorant, and the latter species has more yellow on the throat and bill.
This is a very common and widespread bird species. It feeds on the sea, in estuaries, and on freshwater lakes and rivers. Northern birds migrate south and winter along any coast that is well-supplied with fish.
The type subspecies, P. c. carbo, is found mainly in Atlantic waters and nearby inland areas: on western European coasts and south to North Africa, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland; and on the eastern seaboard of North America, though in America it breeds only in the north of its range, in the Canadian maritime provinces.
The subspecies found in Australasian waters, P. carbo novaehollandiae, has a crest. In New Zealand it is known as the Black Shag or by its Māori name; Kawau.
The 80-100 cm long White-breasted Cormorant P. c. lucidus found in sub-Saharan Africa, has a white neck and breast. It is often treated as a full species, Phalacrocorax lucidus.
In addition to the Australasian and African forms, Phalacrocorax carbo novaehollandiae and P. carbo lucidus mentioned above, other geographically distinct subspecies are recognised, including P. c. sinensis (western Europe to east Asia), P. c. maroccanus (north-western Africa), and P. c. hannedae (Japan).
The Great Cormorant breeds mainly on coasts, nesting on cliffs or in trees (which are eventually killed by the droppings), but also increasingly inland. 3-4 eggs are laid in a nest of seaweed or twigs.
The Great Cormorant can dive to considerable depths, but often feeds in shallow water. It frequently brings prey to the surface. A wide variety of fish are taken: cormorants are often noticed eating eels, but this may reflect the considerable time taken to subdue an eel and position it for swallowing, rather than any dominance of eels in the diet. In British waters, dive times of 20-30 seconds are common, with a recovery time on the surface around a third of the dive time.
The Great Cormorant is one of the few birds which can move its eyes, which assists in hunting.
Many fishermen see in the Great Cormorant a competitor for fish. Because of this it was nearly hunted to extinction in the past. Thanks to conservation efforts its numbers increased. At the moment there are about 450,000 breeding birds in Western Europe. Increasing populations have once again brought the cormorant into conflict with fisheries. For example, in Britain, where inland breeding was once uncommon, there are now increasing numbers of birds breeding inland, and many inland fish farms and fisheries now claim to be suffering high losses due to these birds. In the UK each year some licences are issued to shoot specified numbers of cormorants in order to help reduce predation, it is however still illegal to kill a bird without such a licence.
Chinese fishermen sometimes tie fishing line around the throats of cormorants, tight enough to prevent swallowing, and deploy them from small boats. The cormorants "eat" fish without being able to fully swallow them, and the fishermen are able to retrieve the fish simply by forcing open the cormorants' mouths, apparently engaging the regurgitation reflex.
In North Norway, cormorants are traditionally seen as semi-sacred. It is regarded as good luck to have cormorants gather near your village or settlement. An old legend states that people who die far out at sea, their bodies never recovered, spend eternity on the island Utrĝst - which can only occasionally be found by mortals. The inhabitants of Utrĝst can only visit their homes in the shape of cormorants. |
Evelynn, jaycee, nirmalroberts, PaulH, bahadir, siggi, CeltickRanger, boreocypriensis, Jamesp has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
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- Jamesp
(15194)
- [2008-07-21 22:25]
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Hi Gert
A lovely - and characteristic pose of this cormorant. Excellent focus and detail here and nice off-centre framing. In the last ten years or so, large numbers of cormorants have moved to inland areas of the UK - we have two, much smaller colonies nearby.
James
Hello Gert, wonderful shot of a Great Cormorant. TFS.
Regards,
Bahadır
Hi Gert,
A great shot of this beauty in all aspects.thanks for sharing.
Greetings,
Deniz
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- efsus
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 22 N: 358]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(1844) - [2008-07-22 0:22]
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Merhaba Gert,
Arkadan çekilmiş ama güzelliğinden hiçbir şeyin kaybolmadığı , kompozisyonun ve reklerin muhteşem olduğu bir kare sunmuşsunuz. Elinize sağlık.
Hüseyin
Good morning Big Bro Gert,
A perfect shot of an Great Cormorant with great POV! Very nice image in all around.
TFS and Cheers,
Bayram
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- PaulH
(11461)
- [2008-07-22 0:47]
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Hi Gert,
a very well composed shot. I like the tones of grey/blue colour and water has made a beautiful background - well done!
Paul
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- siggi
(4670)
- [2008-07-22 2:28]
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Hi Gert!
Very good expo, dof and details! This cormorant looks very fine. The lighting on the back is wonderful. I like the face too. TFS!
Regards,
Siggi
Hi Gert,
That's a beautiful picture of this great cormorant in its typical pose. These birds are very common in India, and can be found in large numbers near fresh-water bodies. Thanks for sharing this one from The Netherlands.
- Regards,
- Nirmal
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- jaycee
(16081)
- [2008-07-22 9:38]
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Hi Gert,
A change of pace! You captured this Cormorant in a marvelous position with the wings raised. Superb details of the feathers - really quite amazing. Beautiful colors - the blacks and greys are stunning. An excellent composition.
Jane
This is a really nice sharp image Gert. I'm curious about your equipment. I love the subtle almost gray toned image. Nice work.
TFS'
Evelynn ; )
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- Juyona
(13589)
- [2008-07-22 12:31]
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Hola Gert,
excelente encuadre,
bello pov y foco,
detalles magníficos.
saludos
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- PeterZ
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1355 W: 72 N: 2875]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(9497) - [2008-07-22 12:33]
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Hallo Gert,
Erg mooie opname in schitterende kleuren. Het trieste weer veroorzaakt hier wel een prachtig bijpassende achtergond. Uitstekende scherpte en compositie.
Groet,
Peter
hello Gert
what a superb shot of the Great Cormorant, very fine POV, DOF and framing,
i love your POV the bird from behind, it is showing us the great
sharpness and details of it's wonderful dark plumage, TFS
Asbed
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- mariki
(9165)
- [2008-07-31 9:59]
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Hello Gert,
Superb capture of this cormorant waiting for its feathers to be dried . Excellent composition, POV, DOF and sharpness. Very nice natural colours.
Cheers,
Mariki
Hoi Gert,
Nu zie ik het pas dat je al veel meer vogel foto's hebt. Dit is een echt mooie. Niet alleen de klassieke houding, maar ook de scherpte diepte maakt deze foto erg mooi om naar te kijken. Het detail in de veren en de algehele donkere kleuk is perfect.
Groeten,
Niek
