Bird of the week: Double-crested Cormorant
About: Double-crested Cormorants are widely spread across the United States where they hunt for fish in lakes and rivers by diving and chasing fish underwater. Adults are all matte-black with yellow-orange facial skin and aquamarine eyes. Juveniles look very similar to adults but have grayer necks.
Where to find this bird: Double-crested Cormorants can be found anywhere along the Fox River, but the best viewing opportunities are when they rest on exposed rocks below the Olde Oneida St. Bridge.
When to find this bird: Mid-March – December
Fun fact: Cormorants have less preening oil than other birds, so they do not shed water like ducks and many other birds. This is likely to help them hunt faster underwater for prey. They dry themselves off by stretching their wings to dry in the sun.
Why “trash birds” aren’t that trashy
While many birders, including myself, focus our time trying to find uncommon or rare birds, spending time watching “trash birds” can be quite rewarding and can give one insights into the avian world. Trash birds are the extremely common birds that we typically ignore such as pigeons, sparrows and gulls.
These birds are often found around humans and often around our trash as well, but because they are so common they are a great subject to observe and research closely. For example, feral or street pigeons — which are escaped birds descended from domesticated pigeons which in turn are descended from Rock Pigeons native to parts Europe, North Africa and Asia — are one of the most widely studied birds in the world.
Pigeons may not look very smart, but they are extremely good at empirical probability and outperform humans at solving the Monty Hall problem. They also have helped us begin to understand how birds navigate, as pigeons are able to find their home roost from over 1000 miles away. They do so by sensing the earth’s magnetic field and possibly using smell, which will let them find home from far away even when blindfolded. Could you make it home if you were dropped in the middle of nowhere and had no map? I sure couldn’t, but it’s not a big deal for a pigeon.
Trash birds also often have hidden beauty that can be easily discovered by close observation. If you get the chance to observe European Starlings from up close, you can see how their seemingly boring plumage is actually beautifully iridescent, and they are accomplished vocalists, able to imitate many other species. In the spring, when I think I might hear an early pewee, Killdeer or meadowlark, I have to check that it’s not a Starling trying to trick me. Starlings can also imitate other sounds and are quite musical. In fact, Mozart had a pet starling which historians believe he taught to sing some of his pieces. European Starlings, which were introduced in New York’s Central Park in the 1890s, now have grown from 100 birds to 200 million birds with a range from Alaska to Mexico, forming giant flocks in the winter. These flocks can get into the millions and they fly in synchronized patterns, each bird reacting to their neighbors. I’ve witnessed this on multiple occasions; to see thousands of birds performing a seemingly choreographed dance spontaneously is quite a sight. Because they are so common, watching these birds from up close is much easier.
Even though many of these birds hang out around our trash and may be annoying, I suggest giving them a closer look and a chance to show off their wonder before dismissing them as “just trash birds.”