Minnesota Seasons - Double-crested Cormorant

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy

Conservation Status

Photo by Lynn Rubey

IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

Minnesota

not listed


	Description


	Size
	26″ to 32″ in length 54″ wingspan

	Voice


	Similar Species



	Habitat
	Large lakes, large slow rivers


	Biology
	Migration
	Late March to mid-May and mid-September to early December

	Nesting


	Food


	Distribution
	Occurrence
	Common migrant and breeder

	Maps
	The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map


	Taxonomy
	Class	Aves (birds)
	Order	Suliformes (gannets, cormorants, and allies)
	Family	Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants)
	Genus	Phalacrocorax (typical cormorants and shags)



	Subordinate Taxa
	Dark-crested Cormorant group Bahamas Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus heuretus) Florida Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus floridanus) Northern Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus auritus) White-crested Cormorant group Farallon Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus albociliatus) White-crested Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus cincinnatus)

	Synonyms


Visitor Photos

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Lynn Rubey

A Double-crested Cormorant perched on a stump after drying off in the hot summer sun. In Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

A Double-crested Cormorant perched on a log with its wings spread out drying its feathers, it lacks an oil gland that makes the feathers waterproof. It shook off the water before claiming this perch from an American White Pelican. The Cormorant faces the sun to dry off its' feathers but its' attention is on the pelican as the sun lit up its back. Taken in the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County, Mn.

A Double-crested Cormorant near the West Pool area of The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.
The fish was putting up a bit of a fight as the Double-crested Cormorant came up out of the water with its meal.

The Double-crested Cormorant would turn one way then another with the fish(catfish?) in its beak also keeping an eye on other birds in the area that were flying nearby ready to take advantage of a free meal. But shortly after this shot the Double-created Cormorant swallowed this fish.

Bill Reynolds

Just about everyone of these Cormorant were too shy for the camera, so couldn't get a really good shot of them.


MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera


Slideshows

	Double-crested Cormorant Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren


	Double-crested Cormorant Ed McVicker


	"Dark-crested" Double-crested Cormorant JMC Nature Photos

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocoracidae: Phalacrocorax auritus) Carl Barrentine

	About Uploaded on Sep 13, 2009 Photographed at the Kellys Slough NWR, North Dakota (13 September 2009).

	Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Mark George

	About Published on Mar 31, 2013 Filmed in Belize and Western Canada

	Double crested Cormorant Residentaid

	About Uploaded on Jan 27, 2012 Yes, I stayed on the trail, great day to go out to the delta ponds and shoot some pictures and video. Lots of people out there walking around taking pictures and some where even painting.

	TheStar.com: Too many cormorants? TorontoStarVideo

	About Uploaded on Aug 22, 2008 Toronto's Leslie Street Spit has the honour of housing the largest colony of double-crested cormorants in the Great Lakes, but not everyone is happy about it. Visit thestar.com for more news, photos, videos and more.

	Double-crested Cormorant drying his wings Lorcan Keating

	About Uploaded on Jan 23, 2008 This Cormorant was drying his wings. I left the area and strolled back about 30 minutes later to find him still at it.

Camcorder


Visitor Sightings

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Lynn Rubey 6/19/2020	Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge A Double-crested Cormorant perched on a stump after drying off in the hot summer sun. In Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

Lynn Rubey 6/17/2020	Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge A Double-crested Cormorant perched on a log with its wings spread out drying its feathers, it lacks an oil gland that makes the feathers waterproof. It shook off the water before claiming this perch from an American White Pelican. The Cormorant faces the sun to dry off its' feathers but its' attention is on the pelican as the sun lit up its back. Taken in the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County, Mn.

Lynn Rubey 5/5/2020	Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge The fish was putting up a bit of a fight as the Double-crested Cormorant came up out of the water with its meal.

Bill Reynolds 6/15/2008	Location: Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Just about everyone of these Cormorant were too shy for the camera, so couldn't get a really good shot of them.




MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Des Moines River SNA Father Hennepin State Park Greenleaf Lake SRA Grey Cloud Dunes SNA Hole-in-the-Mountain Prairie Keller Regional Park Lake Rebecca Park Reserve Minnesota Valley NWR, Long Meadow Lake Unit Minnesota Valley NWR, Wilkie Unit Monson Lake State Park Myre-Big Island State Park Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Hoffman Unit Rice Lake State Park Rieck’s Lake Park and Campground (Alma, Wisconsin) Robert Ney Memorial Park Reserve Sakatah Lake State Park Sedan Brook Prairie SNA Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Shetek WMA, East Unit Sunfish Lake Park Thompson County Park