Pl. XCVIII
The Birds · Plate XCVIII
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
Phalacrocoracidae · Taxon 1454382
| Length | 70–90 cm (27.6–35.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 114–123 cm (44.9–48.4 in) |
| Weight | 1.2–2.5 kg (42.3–88.2 oz) |
Field marks
- Dark brown-black body plumage with bronzy, scaled-looking wing coverts
- Small head and long, kinked neck on a heavy, low-slung body
- Long gray bill with a strongly hooked tip, orange-yellow facial skin, and a blue-green eye
- Short black legs with large, fully webbed black feet
- Broad, dark wings
- Long, stiff, wedge-shaped tail
HabitatFreshwater and marine habitats, including lakes, ponds, rivers, lagoons, estuaries, and coasts; requires nearby exposed perches and trees, rocks, reefs, or ground sites for colonial nesting.
BehaviorSurface-dives and pursues fish underwater, propelled by its webbed feet. Gregarious and often rests on exposed perches with wings spread to dry; swims low in the water and commonly flies in shifting lines or V-formations.
Palette
brown-blackbronze-brownorange-yellowblue-greencharcoal gray