32 inches long with a 52 inch wingspan. The Double-crested Cormorant is a large, glossy black waterbird with a long hooked bill. In flight it has a long wedge-shaped tail. The skin on the face and upper throat is orange-yellow. Its long thin neck is kinked during flight. During breeding season there are small white plumes on the head. The “double crest” is a poor field mark as these feathers are variable and are fully developed for only a short time early in year. Juvenile birds are lighter and browner on the body.
The Double-crested Cormorant is a common migrant through the area that may be seen flying over the lowlands from March through May and again from mid August through mid December.
The Double-crested Cormorant often perches with its wings spread out to dry them. They often are seen swimming low in the water with little more than their heads and necks showing. Cormorants are gregarious birds that often nest in large numbers at diverse sites. Cormorants feed opportunistically and have been accused of taking recreational fish.
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