A cluster of cormorants

[Saorsa]

Just to show the difference between an Anhinga and a Cormorant, this is what cormorants look like. The body is nearly identical to the Anhinga but the beak and plumage are different.



Our cormorants are called Double-crested Cormorants. When in breeding plumage they get a double crest of white feathers on their head. It can be seen in the top Cormorant in this picture.



The Anhinga here is sometimes called the Piano Bird because of the pattern on it's wings which is often displayed as it dries. As you can see, it also picks up some extra head feathers in breeding season.

[FrankMi]

A lovely set of images and very interesting commentary to go along with it Saorsa!

Some of the things I love about the CiC forum is not only the fantastic images but how much I learn about the world around me from the knowledgeable photographers that post here!

[FootLoose]

I was having the same thought, Frank. I will be able to impress people by calling the Darter an Anhinga, now. Thanks, Saorsa.

[deetheturk]

Lovely captures Saorsa,thanks for sharing!

[IzzieK]

If I look closely, I might have some Anhinga shots somewhere in my harddrives...but your capture are exquisite to say the least, #3 is soooooooooo beautiful...how did you get that bird to pose for you like that? I wonder...

[Saorsa]

If I look closely, I might have some Anhinga shots somewhere in my harddrives...but your capture are exquisite to say the least, #3 is soooooooooo beautiful...how did you get that bird to pose for you like that? I wonder...

Unlike ducks, the Anhingas and Cormorants do not have oiled feathers. As a result, they have to dry out from time to time or they become waterlogged. After a couple of dives they come out of the water and preen until dry. They spread their wings and preen their body feathers with their bill. This is actually quite a common pose.

[Downrigger]

Unlike ducks, the Anhingas and Cormorants do not have oiled feathers. As a result, they have to dry out from time to time or they become waterlogged.

As Frank said - one can learn a lot here. We have lots of cormorants on Lake Champlain where I spend part of the year and I've always been impressed by their diving, but wondered about all that wing drying... Really interesting, and why did mother nature leave out the oil on such avid divers?

[Saorsa]

As Frank said - one can learn a lot here. We have lots of cormorants on Lake Champlain where I spend part of the year and I've always been impressed by their diving, but wondered about all that wing drying... Really interesting, and why did mother nature leave out the oil on such avid divers?

I'm not mother nature and don't hope to meet her too soon but some of that may come from their feeding methods. There are a couple of places in the everglades where the water is so clear that you can watch what is happening to pretty significant depths. These birds actually stalk fish underwater. Too much flotation in the form of oil or down would slow them down and require energy to stay under water. They swim with their necks pulled back and strike like a snake to capture their prey.

Both are of the order Suliformes and have similar behaviours. The cormorant grasps its prey and brings it up to eat while the Anhinga spears its and can actually eat smaller fish underwater.