Double-crested Cormorant

General Description

Adult Double-crested Cormorants are black or dark brown and have an orange-yellow patch of skin at the base of their bills. In breeding plumage, adults have two whitish tufts behind their eyes, hence the description 'double-crested.' First-year birds are pale on the upper breast and darker on the belly. Double-crested Cormorants have slender, hook-tipped bills that are often tipped up at an angle as they swim. They can be distinguished from the other two Washington cormorant species by their thicker bills and by the pronounced kink in their long necks in flight.

Double-crested Cormorants are Common in Western Washington especially in the Sound year round.

Habitat

Double-crested Cormorants are found on both coastal and inland waters. They often perch on rocks, sandbars, or pilings near fishing sites and forage at ponds, lakes, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, and open coastlines. Their breeding colonies are typically located on small rocky or sandy islands, or on the exposed tops of offshore rocks. They may also nest or roost in trees, especially when predators are present.

Behavior

Gregarious throughout the year, Double-crested Cormorants nest in colonies, form dense nocturnal roosts, and travel in flocks during migration. They forage in shallow water within sight of land. They dive from the water's surface to pursue prey underwater, propelled by powerful, webbed feet. After a bout of foraging, they may be seen on exposed perches with their wings spread, drying their feathers. Males attract females by performing a conspicuous 'wing-waving display' that emphasizes their colorful head-tufts and neck.