Cormorant
- Double Crested
On Seneca lake the Cormorant is seen most often in flight.
They tend to group near the uninhabited sections of lake shore
which is why they are rarely seen in the water if not on a
boat. In flight they are recognizable because their body is
very straight and rigid. On take off, it takes them a while
to separate themselves from the water. In the water they sit
very low which makes it difficult to distinguish them from
the Loons and even the Mergansers.
- Identification Tips:
- Length: 27 inches Wingspan: 50 inches
Sexes similar
Large, dark waterbird with a long, hooked bill and long
tail
Long, thin neck
Gular area squared off and orange, extending straight down
across throat
Orange lores
Often perches with wings spread to dry them
Adult:
- Entirely black plumage, Small white plumes on head during
breeding season.
- Similar species:
- Loons are similar on the water, but lack hooked bills.
The Anhinga has a long, pointed bill and a much longer tail.
All adult cormorant species in the U.S. are separable by
the shape and color of the gular areas. No other species
has orange lores and gular region that does not form a point
at the gape. The Neotropical Cormorant can be similar but is
slimmer, longer-tailed, and has a differently shaped
gular area. Great Cormorant is also similar but has a yellowish,
pointed gular area surrounded with white as an adult. Immatures
are dark-chested and pale bellied, unlike Double-crested.
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