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The Double-crested Cormorant
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is the name of this photo Taken today at the Lower Battery near the entrance to the harbor. There were as many as ten and I went home to get my telephoto lens. After lunch I returned and took several of these photos.
These seabirds occur along inland waterways as well as in coastal areas and are widely distributed across North America. Once threatened by use of DDT, the numbers of this bird have increased markedly in recent years.
The Double-crested Cormorant is a large black bird 74–91 cm (29"–36") long, with a wingspan up to 132 cm (52"). It has a long tail and a yellow throat-patch, and can appear to have a green sheen in certain lighting.
A very common and widespread species, it winters anywhere that is ice-free along both coasts, as far north as southern Alaska (on the west coast) and southern New England (on the east coast). It can be found as far south as Mexico and the Bahamas. It migrates from the coldest parts of its breeding range, such as eastern Canada, and has occurred in Europe as a very rare vagrant, for example in Great Britain, Ireland and the Azores.
The Double-crested Cormorant swims low in the water, often with just its neck and head visible, and dives from the surface. It uses its feet for propulsion and is able to dive to a depth of 1.5–7.5 m (5–25 feet) for 30–70 seconds. After diving, it spends long periods standing with its wings outstretched to allow them to dry, since they are not fully waterproofed, like the bird on the right in the photo who just returned from swimming. This species flies low over the water, with its bill tilted slightly upward, sometimes leaving the colony in long, single-file lines.
Food can be found in the sea, freshwater lakes, and rivers. Like all cormorants, the double-crested dives to find its prey. It mainly eats fish, but will sometimes also eat amphibians and crustaceans. Fish are caught by diving under water. Smaller fish may be eaten while the bird is still beneath the surface but bigger prey is often brough to the surface before it is eaten.(From Wikipedia) |
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- JPlumb
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 644 W: 160 N: 894]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(2837) - [2008-04-10 22:49]
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Hi Jim, this is one I haven't seen before, so thanks for this introduction to them. The shot is well composed with the two of them on the rock. The Cormorant on the right is exhibiting the typical Cormorant stance to dry the wings. Good detail seen on these birds with great colour throughout. With a wingspan up to 132 cm, this really is a large impressive bird. I'm going to need to see one of these some day.
Thanks, John
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