CORMORANTS 
55 
Field Marks. Dazzling white body and black wing tips of the adult are distinctive. 
The habit of diving from the wing, entering the water head first like an arrow, and 
remaining under an appreciable length of time is also characteristic. Terns dive from 
the wing, but they rise again almost immediately and seldom completely disappear from 
sight like the gannet. Even were it otherwise the great difference in size would be diagnostic. 
Nesting. In large communities on the rocky shelves of sea cliffs; nests made of 
seaweed. 
Distribution. Both sides of the north Atlantic, breeding in Canada only on Bird 
Rock off Magdalen Islands, Bonaventure Island, Gaspe County, Quebec, Anticosti Island, 
and Cape St. Mary, Newfoundland. 
The gannet had at one time a much wider and commoner distribution 
than now, nesting as it did on many of the rocky islets on both sides of the 
north Atlantic. Of very small value either for food or other uses, except 
in the most primitive communities, it has been driven from one breeding 
station after another until in the New World only four remain and, if 
prompt measures had not been taken, these would probably have gone 
the way of the others. 
Economic Status. Though the gannets have been accused of doing 
considerable damage to fishing interests their harmful effects have been 
much overestimated. The greater part of the life of the gannets is spent 
on or near the deep sea. When they come inshore for breeding purposes 
they can make very little impression on the mighty shoals of herring and 
other fish they pursue. 
FAMILY — PHALACROCORACIDAE. CORMORANTS 
General Description. Large birds 25 to 36 inches, black or very dark brown in colour. 
Bill, long and slender, abruptly and strongly hooked at tip. No external nostrils. Skin 
around eyes bare, and usually a small, unfeathered gular or throat pouch (Figures 94-97). 
Highest mating plumages have variously shaped crests and filamentous plumes, but these 
ornaments are retained for only a short time (sometimes suppressed [?]) and are often 
absent. 
Distinctions. The general form and outline of the bill are superficially similar to those 
of the jaegers or the shearwaters, but are fundamentally quite different. The lack of external 
nostrils, the bare space about eyes, and bare gular pouch easily distinguish the cormorants 
from them. These bare spots are usually highly coloured. In some specimens of the 
Pelagic Cormorant the bare gular pouch is small and may be largely overgrown with 
feathers. 
Field Marks. Flying, the long, outstretched head and neck, long tail, rapidly beating 
wings, and direct flight of this family are easily recognized. On the water cormorants 
look somewhat like loons, but the motions of the head and neck are more graceful and 
serpentine and the long tail when shown is distinctive. 
Distribution. Cosmopolitan, but naturally confined to the vicinity of large bodies 
of water. We have one species in the interior of the continent, two on the east coast, and 
three on the west coast. 
Cormorants are fish-eaters and capture their prey by straight pursuit 
under water. With extraordinary ease they secure their agile prey in its 
own element. As seen in clear water or a tank, their subaquatic move- 
ments seem unhurried, yet such is the economy of effort that they take 
speedy fish with absurd ease. They never dive from the wing, but first 
alight and then disappear below with a serpentine gliding motion without 
splash. They seldom remain under more than forty seconds, though it 
seems longer to the observer. They bring their prey to the surface for 
swallowing, often with it crosswise in the bill, then deftly toss if in the air 
and unerringly catch it so that it goes down easily head first without danger 
from fins and spines. 
