Double-crested Cormorant

Nannopterum auritum

They lack the waterproof oils typical of most waterbirds, which allows them to sink faster for hunting but requires them to stand with wings spread to dry out.

Scientific name

Nannopterum auritum

Taxonomy

Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Suliformes › Phalacrocoracidae › Nannopterum

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

increasing

Biome

aquatic

Habitat

Coastal waters, estuaries, lakes, and large rivers.

Diet

Opportunistic carnivore primarily eating small fish, but also crustaceans and amphibians.

Range

North America, Mexico, The Bahamas, Cuba

Size

Length: 70-90 cm; Wingspan: 114-123 cm; Weight: 1.2-2.5 kg

Lifespan

6-18 years

Active

diurnal

Threats

Entanglement in discarded fishing gear, habitat loss, and human persecution due to perceived competition with commercial fisheries.

Safe to approach?

Harmless to humans but wary. Maintain a distance of 15 meters to avoid interrupting their essential wing-drying behavior. If cornered, they may strike with their sharp, hooked beak; if bitten, wash the wound with soap and water and seek medical attention if infection develops.

The double-crested cormorant ( Nannopterum auritum ) is a member of the cormorant family of water birds. It is found near rivers and lakes, and in coastal areas, and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico. Measuring 70–90 cm (28–35 in) in length, it is entirely black except for a bare patch of orange-yellow facial skin and some extra plumage that it exhibits in the breeding season, when it grows...

Photo: Eridan Xharahi, CC-BY, via iNaturalist

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