Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
The double-crested cormorant is a large black water bird found year-round on the shallow and open waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
Appearance:
- Large, black body
- Long bill that has a small hook at the end and is held tilted upward when swimming
- Orange chin patch that is squared and has no feathers
- Long neck and tail
- Young have a pale throat and chest with a brownish back and wings
- Both sexes are similar in appearance
- Grows to 32 inches long
- Average wingspan is 52 inches
Habitat:
- Lives along the coast and on islands, bays, lakes and rivers
Range:
- Found year-round throughout the Chesapeake Bay
Feeding:
- Eats mostly small fish, but will also feed on aquatic invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans and amphibians
- Flies low over the water to hunt for fish, then captures its prey by diving underwater and grabbing a fish in its bill
- Adults eat an average of one pound of fish per day
Predators:
- Gulls, crows, blue jays, raccoons, red foxes and coyotes prey on cormorant eggs and chicks
Flight:
- Noticeable crook in neck while flying
- Flies in lines or V-shaped formations, similar to geese
Voice:
- Almost entirely silent
- Makes some deep, pig-like grunts in the nesting colony
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
- Breeds mostly in the Great Lakes region and the Midwest into Canada
- Nests in colonies with other cormorants
- Large nests are located on the ground or in trees. They are made of sticks and branches and lined with grass.
- Typically has one brood per year
- Females usually lay about 3-4 pale blue eggs, but can have between 1-7 eggs
- Both parents incubate the eggs for 25-29 days
- Young will leave their nests to form groups called crèches with other young. They return to their nests to be fed.
- Young can fly within 5-6 weeks and are completely independent of their parents by 10 weeks
- Ready to breed in three or four years
Other Facts:
- Eyes are adapted to see both above and under the water
- Often seen perched on rocks, piers and pilings with its wings spread in the air. They do this to dry their feathers and regulate their body temperature.
- Can be confused with the common loon. You can distinguish a double-crested cormorant by its hooked bill, which it holds tilted upward.
- The most abundant and widespread cormorant in North America. It is estimated that there are approximately two million double-crested cormorants in North America.
Sources and Additional Information: