Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

Description:

The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It occurs along inland waterways as well as in coastal areas, and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico. Measuring 70–90 cm (28–35 in) in length, it is an all-black bird which gains a small double crest of black and white feathers in breeding season. It has a bare patch of orange-yellow facial skin.

Habitat:

The Double-crested Cormorant is found near rivers, lakes and along the coastline. It mainly eats fish and hunts by swimming and diving. Its feathers, like those of all cormorants, are not waterproof and it must spend time drying them out after spending time in the water.

Notes:

I was able to watch and photograph two of these birds. I was rather shocked to see them in our State when I did, simply because their wings are not waterproof like ducks. Because of this I would have thought they would not want to risk diving into water, and then drying their feathers in temperatures at or below freezing.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

13 Comments

williefromwi
williefromwi 11 years ago

Thanks Carol, I am more then willing to take you or others on a photo shoot, should I have the time to do so.

CarolSnowMilne
CarolSnowMilne 11 years ago

Can I come visit you? HA! LOL! Show me the birds!!!

williefromwi
williefromwi 11 years ago

Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments.

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

I finally saw the two crests on it's head this April!!
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/102...

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

awesome as usual !!

Stian Waaler
Stian Waaler 11 years ago

Amazing pictures Willie!

AdamBrown
AdamBrown 11 years ago

beautiful photos once again!

EmilyMarino
EmilyMarino 11 years ago

What a lovely portrait! I love those turquoise eyes!

Maria dB
Maria dB 11 years ago

lovely series!

williefromwi
williefromwi 11 years ago

Usted es mucho a la clase, Haruame

rutasandinas
rutasandinas 11 years ago

Espectacular series felicidades!!

williefromwi
williefromwi 11 years ago

Thank you so much Gerardo Aizpura

Gerardo Aizpuru
Gerardo Aizpuru 11 years ago

Wonderful series Willie:)

williefromwi
Spotted by
williefromwi

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA

Spotted on Mar 1, 2012
Submitted on Jun 1, 2012

Spotted for Mission

Related Spottings

Double-Crested Cormorant Neotropic Cormorant Brandt's cormorant Cormorant

Nearby Spottings

Spotting Spotting Ficus Hyacinth
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team