Click image to enlarge
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Cormorant, St. Helens, Oregon.
Image taken February 17, 2007.
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Double-crested Cormorant ...
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology gives the description of the Double-crested Cormorant ("Phalacrocorax auritus") as a
* Large, dark water bird.
* Long body and long neck.
* Medium-sized bill is blunt or hooked at tip.
* Size: 70-90 cm (28-35 in)
* Wingspan: 114-123 cm (45-48 in)
* Weight: 1200-2500 g (42.36-88.25 ounces).
The sexes are alike.
It is found in a variety of locations, "such as ponds, lakes, rivers, lagoons, estuaries, and open coastline; more widespread in winter."
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"... The Double-crested Cormorant is the most numerous and widespread North American cormorant. It's also the only one that occurs in large numbers inland as well as on the coast. Growing in numbers throughout its range, this cormorant is increasingly being blamed for declines in sport fisheries and for devastating fish farms. ..."
[Cornell Lab of Ornithology Website, 2006]
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Lewis and Clark and the Cormorant ...
Captain Clark first mentions the Cormorant on October 20, 1805, in the area upstream of the Blalock Islands, a place they called "Pelican Rapid".
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"... passed a rapid at Seven miles one at a Short distance below we passed
a verry bad rapid, a chane or rocks makeing from the Stard. Side and
nearly Chokeing the river up entirely with hugh black rocks, an Island
below close under the Stard. Side on which was four Lodges of Indians
drying fish,- here I Saw a great number of pelicons on the wing, and
black Comerants...."
[Clark, October 20, 1805]
The men describe this bird in their journals in March 1806.
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"... The Aquatic Birds of this country or such as obtain their Subsistence from the water, are the large blue and brown heron, fishing Hawk, blue crested fisher, Gulls of Several Species of the Coast, the large grey Gull of the Columbia, Comorant, loons of two Species, white and the brown brant, Small and large Geese, small and large Swans, the Duckinmallard, canvis back Duck, red headed fishing Duck, black and white duck, little brown Duck, Black Duck, two Species of Divers, blue winged teal, and Some other Species of Ducks, two Species of Plevers. ..."
[Clark, March 5, 1806]
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"... The Comorant is a large black duck which feeds on fish; I proceive no
difference between it & these found in the rivers of the Atlantic Coasts.
we met with as high up the river as the enterance of
the Chopunnish into the Kooskooske river. they
increased in numbers as we decended, and formed much the Greatest portion
of waterfowls which we saw on the Columbia untill we reached tidewater,
where they also abound but do not bear a Similar proportion to the fowls
found in this quarter. we found this bird fat and
tolerably flavoured as we decended the Columbia. ..."
[Clark, March 6, 1806]
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"... The cormorant is a large black duck which feeds on fish; I perceive no difference between it and those found in the Potomac and other rivers on the Atlantic Coast. tho' I do not recollect seeing those on the atlantic so high up the rivers as those are found here. we first met with them on the Kooskooske at the entrance of Chopunnish river. they increased in quantity as we decended, and formed much the greatest portion of the waterfowl which we saw on the Columbia untill we reached tidewater where they also abound but do not bear a similar proportion to the other fowls found in this quarter ..."
[Lewis, March 7, 1806]
Lewis and Clark's Cormorant was the double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus.
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Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, April 15, 2007 ...
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Click image to enlarge
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Double-crested Cormorant.
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, River "S" Unit.
Image taken, April 15, 2007.
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Click image to enlarge
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Double-crested Cormorant.
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, River "S" Unit.
Image taken, April 15, 2007.
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Click image to enlarge
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Double-crested Cormorant.
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, River "S" Unit.
Image taken, April 15, 2007.
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Click image to enlarge
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Double-crested Cormorant.
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, River "S" Unit.
Image taken, April 15, 2007.
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Blind Slough, January 13, 2008 ...
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Double-crested Cormorant, Blind Slough, Oregon.
Image taken January 13, 2008.
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Click image to enlarge
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Double-crested Cormorant, Blind Slough, Oregon.
Image taken January 13, 2008.
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Taking Off, Double-crested Cormorant, Blind Slough, Oregon.
Image taken January 13, 2008.
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Airborne, Double-crested Cormorant, Blind Slough, Oregon.
Image taken January 13, 2008.
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St. Helens, Oregon, February 17, 2007 ...
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Cormorants and Pilings, St. Helens, Oregon.
Image taken February 17, 2007.
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Click image to enlarge
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Cormorant and Pilings, St. Helens, Oregon.
Image taken February 17, 2007.
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Coal Creek Slough, January 2, 2005 ...
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Cormorants, Coal Creek Slough, Willow Grove, Oregon.
Image taken January 2, 2005.
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Click image to enlarge
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Cormorants, Coal Creek Slough, Willow Grove, Oregon.
Image taken January 2, 2005.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 20, 1805 ...
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A cool morning wind S. W. we concluded to delay untill after brackfast [at their camp near Irrigon, Oregon] ...
passed a rapid at Seven miles one at a Short distance below we passed a verry bad rapid, a chane or rocks makeing from the Stard. Side and nearly Chokeing the river up entirely with hugh black rocks, an Island below close under the Stard. Side on which was four Lodges of Indians drying fish,- here I Saw a great number of pelicons on the wing, and black Comerants. at one oClock we landed on the lower point of <Some> an Island at Some Indian Lodges, a large Island on the Stard Side nearly opposit and a Small one a little below on the Lard Side on those three Island I counted Seventeen Indian Lodges,
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Clark, November 3, 1805 ...
we landed on the North Side of this Dimond Island [Government Island] and Encamped, Capt. L walked out with his gun on the Island, Sent out hunters & fowlers- below quick Sand River [Sandy River, Oregon] the Countrey is low rich and thickly timbered on each Side of the river, the Islands open & Some ponds river wide and emence numbers of fowls flying in every direction Such as Swan, geese, Brants, Cranes [most likely the Great Blue Heron], Stalks, white guls, comerants [Cormorants] & plevers &c. also great numbers of Sea Otter [Sea Lions and Harbor Seals] in the river.
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Clark, March 5, 1806 ...
Aquatic Birds of this country or such as obtain their Subsistence from the water, are the large blue [Great Blue Heron] and brown heron, fishing Hawk [Osprey], blue crested fisher, Gulls of Several Species of the Coast, the large grey Gull of the Columbia [most likely the Western Gull], Comorant [Double-crested Cormorant], loons of two Species, white and the brown brant, Small and large Geese [including the Canada Goose], small and large Swans, the Duckinmallard, canvis back Duck, red headed fishing Duck, black and white duck, little brown Duck, Black Duck, two Species of Divers, blue winged teal, and Some other Species of Ducks, two Species of Plevers.
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