Brandt's Cormorant in breeding plumage |
General Description: Brandt's Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) are glossy black, diving birds with a long, thin neck and a long, thin, hooked bill. In breeding plumage, the throat pouch turns blue, and there is a patch of buffy feathers on the chin, and white feathers on the side of the neck. In the non-breeding season, they lose the blue color and white feathers, but retain the buffy feathers.
Taxonomy: Suliformes, Phalacrocoracidae
Favored Habitat: Near-shore coastal habitats, rocky coastlines. |
Brandt's Cormorant in breeding plumage showing blue throat pouch |
Where to Find:
Don't look for Brandt's Cormorants around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them on trips to the Pacific Coast, especially along rocky coastlines.
Comments: Brandt's Cormorants nest on the tops of rocky cliffs. |