For most birds, wet feathers are highly undesirable because they impede their ability to fly and don’t provide insulation. In "Collins Bird Guide" the caption attached to an illustration of a cormorant with outspread wings reads "Drying wings" alan_rymer Well-known member. But cormorants dive underwater to catch food. All are fish-eaters, dining on small eels, fish, and even water snakes. Some cormorant species have been found, using depth gauges, to dive to depths of as much as 45 metres (15… Double-crested Cormorant Dries its Feathers, How Yellow-billed Loons Survive in the Arctic, Zoom! indian cormorant bird great cormorant bird drying wings in sunlight cormorant bird fish hunting in lake cormorant bird flying with open wing - Buy this stock photo and explore similar images at Adobe Stock This video accompanies Chapter 4, Feathers and Plumages , Handbook of Bird Biology, 3rd Edition from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Wiley Publishing. Your email address will not be published. 7 Cool Cormorant Facts. Your Cormorant Drying Wings Head stock images are ready. It looks around, and rubs its head on its back and wings again.] Under water they propel themselves with their feet, though some also propel themselves with their wings (see the picture, commentary, and existing reference video ). Cormorant drying it's wings - download this royalty free Stock Photo in seconds. [Explore MacaulayLibrary.org]. No membership needed. The first cormorant preens, rubs its head on its back, then stretches its wings out farther. : The Aerial Display of the Common Nighthawk, Shape Shifting: and the Birds-of-Paradise. [A double-crested cormorant stands on a rock with its wings outstretched. Recorded by Timothy Barksdale, Macaulay Library. The species name comes from the Greek words phalakros meaning “bald” and korax meaning “raven. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. Guided Nature Tours in Greater Manchester, Merseyside & Lancashire Website Built & Supported By: WebCentric360.com. Cormorants have short wings for a flying bird due to their need to swim. They have feathers that become easily waterlogged, which allows them to dive deeper by preventing air bubbles from getting trapped underneath their feathers. This is one reason you often see cormorants standing with their wings spread, drying their wet wings after diving. All rights reserved. Because of this they have the highest flight cost of any flying bird. A second cormorant is partially visible on a nearby rock. This is one reason you often see cormorants standing with their wings spread, drying their wet wings after diving. They dive from the surface, though many species make a characteristic half-jump as they dive, presumably to give themselves a more streamlined entry into the water. Sep 25, 2003 #19 CJW said: And you have the unmitigated gall to say other postings on this subject have been rubbish! This video accompanies Chapter 4, Feathers and Plumages, Handbook of Bird Biology, 3rd Edition from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Wiley Publishing. So when it is finished fishing the best way it can become dry again is to sit out of the water, face the sun and open its wings. However, unlike ducks the Cormorant cannot make is feathers waterproof. The warmth of the sun dries out the bird and so the Cormorant … Nature Talks & Walks. Keep learning, participate in group conversations.