Double-crested Cormorant

The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is a dark, long-bodied diving bird that sits low in the water with its thin neck and bill raised. It is often seen perching upright near water with wings half-spread to dry. The Double-crested Cormorant (which rarely looks noticeably crested in the field) is the most generally distributed cormorant in North America and the only one likely to be seen inland in most areas.

The double-crested cormorant is a large water bird with a stocky body, long neck, medium-sized tail, webbed feet, and a medium-sized hooked bill. It has a body length of between 28–35 in long, with a wingspan of between 45–48 in. It is a fish eater and swims under water to catch fairly large fish. The feathers of cormorants are not waterproof and they must spend time with wings outstretched drying them out after spending time in the water. They are found throughout the United States.
In Asia use of cormorants for fishing was a traditional fishing method in which fishermen used trained cormorants to fish in rivers. According to Wikipedia, “Historically, cormorant fishing has taken place in Japan and China since about 960 AD. To control the birds, the fishermen tie a snare near the base of the bird's throat. This prevents the birds from swallowing larger fish, which are held in their throat, but the birds can swallow smaller fish. When a cormorant has caught a fish in its throat, the fisherman brings the bird back to the boat and has the bird spit the fish up. Though cormorant fishing once was a successful industry, its primary use today is to serve the tourism industry.”

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