If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

3/9/02 All lined up on a dead palm tree - that's LA for you. Malibu Creek Lagoon, Malibu Creek State Park, Los Angeles County, CA 
8/19/04 Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County, CA 
7/25/04 Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, Los Angeles County, CA
1/14/06 Pismo State Beach, San Luis Obispo County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Double-Crested Cormorant

SPECIES: Phalacrocorax auritus

FAMILY: Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)

LIFE LIST DATE: 3/9/2002

LOCATION: Malibu Creek Lagoon, Malibu Creek State Park, Los Angeles County, CA

From Stokes Field Guide to Birds-Western Region & Kaufman Focus Guide-Birds of North America:

HABITAT/BEHAVIOR: The most widespread and common cormorant, especially inland. Numbers have increased gently since 1970s. Nesting colonies may be in trees near water, on cliff ledges, or on the gourd on islands. 

IDENTIFYING MARKS: 32"; Adults are blackish all over with orange bare skin on face and throat extending to lores (in front of eye). In breeding plumage western birds have white head tufts. Immatures are brownish paler on foreneck and chest. 

VOICE: Silent away from nest; at nest can give a variety of deep croaks and grunts. 
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