I used to be clueless about waterbirds, shorebirds and ducks because I don’t spend a lot of time near bodies of water, but over the last couple of years I’ve been doing more hiking, so I’ve been trying to broaden my bird identification skills.
I was familiar with cormorants after seeing them everywhere in Florida, but I didn’t realize Double-crested Cormorants spend the summer in Wisconsin and other northern states.
These large waterbirds dive for fish, and most of the time when they are in the water, all you see is their necks sticking out.
Double-crested Cormorants don’t have as many preen oils in their feathers as some of the other waterbirds and ducks, so they like to stand on the shore with their wings outstretched to dry their waterlogged feathers. It kind of makes them look like docile pterodactyls.
Last month my friend and I spotted a pair of Double-crested Cormorants diving for fish at Horicon Marsh.
Double-crested Cormorants have webbed feet that allow them to chase fish underwater, and the little hook-like tip on the end of their beak makes it easier to snag prey. Cormorants like to feed in open water near the shore.
These birds are fun to watch. They surface for only a few moments before diving into the water again and disappearing without a trace.