Over-achieving cormorant

by Judi Dressler

Title

Over-achieving cormorant

Artist

Judi Dressler

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This is the biggest stick I have ever seen a cormorant, or for that matter, any bird, carry! I was so impressed that I had to quickly take a photo!

Double-crested Cormorants build up their nests every spring during mating / breeding season. The cormorants I was watching were mostly using old nests from the previous year, but they still go through a ritual where the male looks for just the right sticks to add to the nest, and brings them to the female. If acceptable, the female will go through a wonderful little display of excitement for every stick he brings, and then she will gently take it from him and insert it somewhere into the nest.

Unfortunately, when this male arrived at the nest, the female let him know she thought he was a bit crazy for bringing such a huge stick, and never got up to show any appreciation. ;) Live and learn!

This dark diving bird floats low in the water with its thin neck and bill raised, and is expert at diving for small fish. The Double-crested, which rarely looks noticeably crested in the field (but you can see one of the crests in this photo) is a common sight in North America around fresh and salt water, and the only one likely to be seen inland in most areas. Though they look like a combination of a goose and a loon, they are relatives of frigatebirds and boobies, and perhaps attract the most attention when they stand on docks, rocky islands, and channel markers, their wings spread out to dry.

Photo taken on March 31st 2019, in Lakewood, Colorado

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Descriptive keywords and tags for this image include cormorants, double-crested cormorants, flying, nest-building, nesting, nest, carrying, stick, male, over achiever, black, water, lake, pond, birds, tufts, yellow, face, waterbirds, phalacrocorax auritus, phalacrocorax, colorado, wild, wildlife, photo, photograph, photography, judi dressler, dressler

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April 2nd, 2019

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