[TN-Bird] Re: Ensley area 9/13/04 Post on DC Comorant

From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
To: birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 00:22:19 EDT
Sept. 14, 2004
TVA Lake Shelby Co. TN
Mike Todd has some interesting photos of a DC Cormorant taken at TVA Lake on 
his web site. I also have photos of possibly the same bird, taken at a higher 
magnification showing the loral area as dull yellow and that color could 
appear and disappear as to the angle of the reflective sun. At a distance and 
without the magnification this area would and did appear dark. It seems a few 
DC 
Cormorants can have extremely dull gular and loral areas. 

Dark coloration in these areas are good field marks for a possible Neotropic 
but structure, size and shape, especially the feathered area under the lower 
mandible that comes forward to slightly in front of the eye, have to point to 
the ID also. I have photos of both species sitting side by side and the 
structure, shape and size are quite different. The size difference is usually 
very 
apparent. 

The male birds of both species average larger than the females, in Neotropic 
the males are on average 10% larger than the females and in DC the males are 
17% larger. Male DC are slightly more than 40% larger than male Neotropic 
Cormorants so size will be obvious when they are seen together. Not too 
surprisingly the southern race of DC that breeds along the east coast and 
Florida are 
much smaller than the other races and would appear only 25% larger by weight 
but 
still that is a significant difference. Even if the average female Neo was 
seen next to the smallest female DC of the Florida race, (if that were to 
happen 
it would probably only happen in Florida) the DC could appear to be the same 
size as the Neo. 

I like shots of aberrant birds and plumages and I'll try to put together a 
photo album of these two species showing the DC that has the apparent dark 
lores.


Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN


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[TN-Bird] Re: Ensley area 9/13/04 Post on DC Comorant

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