Birds and Birding's Guide to:

Watching THE STORK-LIKE BIRDS

THE CORMORANTS (Family Phalacrocoracidm)

Cormorants Behaviour

Cormorants are sociable birds, often congregating in flocks of immense size. Some of the species are mainly confined to ocean shores, while others make their home in inland swamps and marshes.

They feed exclusively on fishes, which they are extremely dexterous in capturing. They swim well and often pursue their prey under water, but in general they select some post, projecting rock, or branch over the water,”in a position where their powers of vision enable them to discover a passing fish, upon which they pounce with a never failing aim.”Its captures are held securely with the sharp, hooked, horny point of the upper mandible, and as the throat is greatly dilatable it can swallow fish of large size.

During the nesting season the birds usually remain together and nest in communities, often of considerable size. The place selected varies somewhat with the different species and also according to the exigencies of the situation, some choosing a rocky cliff facing the sea and others low trees and bushes along low-lying shores.

The nest is usually a rude affair placed on the bare rock or ground or raised on a slight mound of sticks and weeds, or when placed in bushes of sticks loosely put together.

The eggs are from three to five in number, of rather large size and pale pinkish green, with a rough crust or coating of calcareous matter. The young are very ungainly and awkward when first born and are quite helpless for some time. They feed themselves by thrusting their heads well down into their parents' throats and”extracting the half-digested fish from their stomachs."

Cormorants possess a considerable degree of intelligence and may be readily tamed if taken when young, evincing a warm regard for their owner. In some parts of the world, notably in China, they are taught to fish for their master.

The young birds, or those not perfectly trained, have a strap or cord placed around the neck to prevent their swallowing the fish taken, and they soon learn to bring all captures to their master. After securing a sufficient quantity the strap is removed and they are permitted to fish for themselves. These trained birds usually last for about five years and have a considerable value, a well-trained male bringing some six or seven dollars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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