adult in breeding plumage, drying wings (California, USA; 2007-04-29)


Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus

Native Range: North merica and Middle America

Notes: widely distributed on freshwater lakes and ocean coastlines; unlike marine cormorants, often flies high and overland, sometimes in V-formation; no sexual dimorphism, but distinct juvenile and adult plumages; fishes by swimming underwater; all four toes fully webbed; spreads wings to dry off after fishing.

adult in nonbreeding plumage (California, USA; 2006-08-13)
note green eye, orange face and gular pouch (California, USA; 2006-04-07)

fully webbed feet(California, USA; 2006-02-12)
pair; note hooked tip of bill (Texas, USA; 2006-04-07)
adults in flight; note kinked-neck look (California, USA; 2007-04-07) adult in breeding plumage; note fancy bill (California, USA; 2007-04-29)
juvenile, much browner than adult (California, USA; 2007-01-06) juvenile drying its wings (California, USA; 2006-05-18)
juvenile swimming (California, USA; 2007-10-28) adult (right) and juvenile in flight (California, USA; 2007-02-04)
hanging out (California, USA; 2008-01-12) swimming flock (California, USA; 2007-11-17)
roosting flock (California, USA; 2007-02-04) juvenile; note gular pouch (California, USA; 2009-09-06)
juvenile posing for camera (California, USA; 2008-01-02) breeding adult posing for camera (Florida, USA; 2008-12-24)
large flock mixed with other species (Califormia, USA; 2012-12-24)