Wildlife Watching: The Double-Crested Cormorant

By: Tom Berg

There are many birds that spend most of their time in and around water, and the double-crested cormorant is certainly one of them. These birds are expert swimmers and they catch a wide variety of fish to eat. In fact, small fish are their favorite food and fish make up about 99% of their diet. They have a long bill with a sharp hook at the end which helps them grasp those slippery fish, too.

Double-crested cormorants are fairly large birds; they are almost as large as a Canada goose. Adults are dark brown in color – almost black – while juveniles are a lighter brown. All have a small patch of yellowish-orange skin on their face and bright blue eyes. Adults in breeding plumage sport a double crest of black or white feathers on their heads, which helps explain how they got their name.

When cormorants are in the water, their body sits mostly submerged. Their long neck and head is raised, always on the lookout for danger. Once they dive below the surface they are on the hunt for fish. Their large webbed feet help propel them underwater with great speed. They sometimes even use their wings to quickly change directions while pursuing prey underwater. Their speed and agility allows them to catch fish with surprising ease.

Once they have eaten their fill of fish, double-crested cormorants often find a convenient spot on a log, rock or tree branch near the water where they can spread their wings and dry them in the sun. Unlike other waterbirds like ducks and geese, cormorant feathers are less oily and are not waterproof. They need to dry them to be able to fly efficiently.

Double-crested cormorants usually nest in large colonies, often in trees near or over water. The nests themselves are platforms made of sticks, branches and other debris. Garbage like paper, plastic and rope or string has also been found in cormorant nests. The nest is typically lines with grass. Females usually lay 2-7 pale blue eggs, and both parents take turns incubating them. Young cormorants learn to fly at 5-6 weeks of age, and when they are 9-10 weeks old they are already pretty independent.

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