Cormorants vs. turkeys

By adamg on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 10:04am

Both are large, impressive birds. But unlike turkeys, cormorants aren't known for attacking people. Mike Ball took a couple of photos of a cormorant stretching its wings at Forest Hills Cemetery the other day.

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Photos

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Wildlife

Forest Hills Cemetery

cormorants

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Comments

Bird nerd

By cantabrigiana on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 10:16am.

Cool photo! Actually, he's not just doing bird yoga -- he's drying his wings out. Most waterfowl have oil glands that coat their feathers so they don't get waterlogged (hence the saying "like water off a duck's back"). Cormorants don't have as many of these glands. Why not? Because they dive for their food, and it's actually advantageous for them to get soaked through because they sink better. Bird nerd out. :-)

Fishing in the Locks

By SwirlyGrrl on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 10:42am.

I was watching one working in the locks on the Charles River Dam this morning. Talk about the proverbial fish in a barrel! He got one and sucked it down before I could get the cell phone camera out. (they have to turn the fish from cross-beak to head down the gullet to swallow it without dropping it - quite the trick in and of itself!). The bird dove again for more - much shorter dives than I've typically seen, likely due to the captive prey.

I decided to join coworkers who came by and thus didn't get that snap. Oh well.

bird smarts

By femmme.fatal on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 10:43am.

I'm impressed. But did you know that golf tv shows actually played fake bird noises. They were only busted when a bird nerd called and said thy identified the bird call during the show. the bird call was from a bird not living in the area where the golf game took place!

But are they delicious when

By Anonymous on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 12:39pm.

But are they delicious when roasted?

Recipe

By adamg on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 12:48pm.

Traditional English roast cormorant.