The smallest cormorant in Washington, the Pelagic Cormorant is slender, with an especially slender neck and beak. Both males and females are solid black, except during the breeding season when adults have white rump patches that show in flight. The numbers of breeding pairs in Norway, UK and western France increased from about 33,000 pairs in 1970 to around 52,000 pairs in 2006. The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), known as the black shag in New Zealand and formerly also known as the great black cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the black cormorant in Australia, and the large cormorant in India, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds.
This maturity seems to partially depend on food availability – more food available in the area leads to younger breeding ages. General Description. Breeding colonies located on gentle slopes on windward side of islands, or steep cliffs with ledges.
Double-crested Cormorants fly higher than most other Comorants and fly with a crooked neck. The name “Double-crested” comes from the two tufts of white or black feathers that occur on the crest of a male’s head during the breeding season. First-year birds are pale on the upper breast and darker on the belly. The shape of a bird's wing is often an indication of its habits and behavior. Double-crested Cormorant: Medium cormorant with iridescent black body and orange throat pouch. Cormorants become sexually mature at around 2 to 3 years of age. How have the numbers changed? Breeding and Nesting. Basic facts about Flightless Cormorant: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status. The name “Double-crested” comes from the two tufts of white or black feathers that occur on the crest of a male’s head during the breeding season. Double-crested Cormorants have slender, hook-tipped bills that are often tipped up at an angle as they swim. Behavior/Reproduction . For double-crested cormorants, the good old days in Wisconsin spanned the 1920s through the 1950s.During that time the birds slowly gained a foothold on larger bodies of water in the north, along major rivers and on the Great Lakes. Brandt's Cormorant: Resident along Pacific coast from British Columbia south to Baja California.
Visit the Bent Life History for extensive additional information on the Double-crested Cormorant. Along the Pacific Coast, this cormorant is a common resident of wave-washed rocks and offshore waters.