Discover the Intriguing World of Cormorants: Top 13 Fun Facts You Never Knew!

1. Hugging Fish Hunters

Cormorants, masters of the art of piscine embrace: Contrary to popular belief, these feathered friends don't just love hugging their fishy prey, they are actually efficient hunters, diving underwater and using their sharp beaks to catch fish, while wearing a loose hemp neckband that allows small fish to pass through and nourish them but keeps larger fish from reaching their stomachs, ensuring their hunger and energy doesn't go to waste and lengthening their life expectancy.
Source => web-japan.org

2. Aquatic Acrobats

When cormorants go swimming, they really dive into it, quite literally: these aquatic acrobats can plunge down to stunning depths of 45 meters (150 feet), using their webbed feet and wings-as-rudders for an underwater ballet that leaves fish quaking in their fins.
Source => oceanwide-expeditions.com

Did you know that brown pelicans can hold up to a gallon of water and fish in their unique pouch, showcasing an impressive live swallowing act? Discover more pelican fun facts!

=> Fun Facts about Pelicans

3. Sunbathing Laundromat

When sunbathing meets laundry day in the bird world: cormorants can be found striking a pose, wings wide open just to dry their feathers, because unlike their avian pals, they don't have an oil gland for preening, resulting in waterlogged plumage after each dip in the water.
Source => encyclopedia.com

4. Waterproofing Armor Glands

Cormorants are the medieval knights of the bird world, equipped with their very own built-in waterproofing armor: these aquatic aviators possess specialized glands near their eyes that produce an oily substance, ensuring their feathers remain waterproof and enabling them to dive underwater in pursuit of fish without getting bogged down by waterlogged plumage.
Source => a-z-animals.com

5. Aquatic Superheroes

Cormorants, the aquatic superheroes of the bird world, don't have the luxury of a billionaire backer like Bruce Wayne, nor do they possess a suit to repel evil and water alike: rather, their feathers have a limited natural waterproofing compared to other water birds, causing them to spend a great portion of their day standing with wings outstretched to dry off after their aquatic missions in pursuit of fish.
Source => bearriverblogger.com

6. Fish Connoisseurs

Beware the sly cormorant, for he is quite the fish connoisseur, selectively plucking plump sub-legal perches from the plate that is the Curonian Lagoon of Lithuania: The annual consumption of these piscine gourmands averages 118 tons of perch, displaying their refined fin-icky tastes whilst impacting the local fish population.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

7. Feathered Imposters

You might call them "quack frauds" or "feathered imposters," but double-crested cormorants harbor a secret identity: they're not actually ducks! In the aquatic avian world, these "crow ducks" swim in a league of their own with specialized muscles and beaks designed for hooking on to slippery meals like a pro.
Source => biokids.umich.edu

8. Michael Phelps of Birds

While most birds would label cormorants the Michael Phelps of the avian world, these water wizards don't need medals to show off their aquatic prowess: Cormorants astoundingly can dive up to 45 metres (150 ft) deep, using their feet and wings to expertly glide underwater and snatch their unsuspecting prey.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Wing-Drying Exhibitionists

You know how embarrassing it is when someone catches you drying your unmentionables on the communal washing line? Well, cormorants are fearless about airing their dirty laundry in public: Double-crested cormorants exhibit a unique behavior called "wing-drying," where they stand up, spread their wings, and hold them open to the sun after diving for fish. This peculiar wing airing not only dries their feathers but also helps regulate their body temperature. Talk about an efficient multitasker!
Source => biokids.umich.edu

10. Underwater Ninjas

Much like an underwater ninja, the cormorant stealthily plunges into the depths of the aquatic realm to claim its prey: expert divers, these fearless birds can reach depths of up to 25 feet to snatch fish like alewife, gizzard shad, and yellow perch, although they don't tend to bother with commercial and sport fish species too much.
Source => icwdm.org

11. Seafood Buffet Masters

Cormorants: the underwater ninjas with a penchant for seafood buffets! These sleek birds are master divers of the avian world, skillfully navigating underwater environments with their webbed feet and hook-tipped beaks to catch over 250 fish species, and they even know how to disarm feisty crustaceans like crayfish by shaking their legs off before tossing them in the air for a dramatic, headfirst snacktime: A combination of Olympic diving and exquisite culinary techniques that would leave competitive swimmers and master chefs equally envious.
Source => allaboutbirds.org

12. Deep-Sea Diving Champs

Move over, professional deep-sea divers, because cormorants are here to make a splash: These feathered piscivores can dive up to 45 meters underwater and boast a long, 25-year lifespan, all thanks to their underwater prowess in hunting delectable fishy prey.
Source => goldengateaudubon.org

13. Flashers of the Avian World

Cormorants, the original Flashers of the avian world, love to sunbathe with their wings wide open like they're trying to give unsuspecting passersby a free show: This peculiar behavior is actually their way of drying their un-oiled, water-absorbing feathers after a deep dive, ensuring they remain buoyant and swift for their next aquatic escapade!
Source => oceanwide-expeditions.com