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Jeff Wendorff's photography portfolio cormorants in the family, Phalacrocoracidae.

Cormorant Wiki
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of some 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed. There is no consistent distinction between "cormorants" and "shags" as these appellations have been assigned to different species in these genera at various points in time, with no real quantifiable differences between the two terms.

Cormorants and shags are medium-to-large birds, with body weight in the range of 0.35–5 kilograms (0.77–11.02 lb) and a wing span of 45–100 centimeters (18–39 in). The majority of species have dark feathers. The bill is long, thin and hooked. Their feet have webbing between all four toes. All species are fish-eaters, catching the prey by diving from the surface. They are excellent divers, and under water, they propel themselves with their feet with help from their wings; some cormorant species have been found to dive as deep as 45 meters. They have relatively short wings due to their need for conservative movement underwater, and consequently, have the highest flight costs of any bird.

Cormorants nest in colonies around the shore, on trees, islets or cliffs. They are coastal rather than oceanic birds, and some have colonized inland waters – indeed, the original ancestor of cormorants seems to have been a fresh-water bird. They range around the world, except for the central Pacific islands.

The scientific genus name is Latinised Ancient Greek, from φαλακρός (phalakros, "bald") and κόραξ (korax, "raven"). This is often thought to refer to the creamy white patch on the cheeks of adult Great Cormorants. "Cormorant" is a contraction derived from Latin corvus marinus, "sea raven."

Cormorant Photography Portfolio Includes these Species
Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
Flightless Cormorant, Phalacrocorax harrisi
Long-tailed Cormorant, Microcarbo africanus
Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
White-breasted Cormorant, Phalacrocorax lucidus

Collective Noun - Cormorant
There are several collective nouns for cormorants including flight, gulp, sunning, swim.

Photography Workshops and Tours
I love watching cormorants fishing almost as I much as I love photographing them with a whopper of a catch. Check out my website, Wildlife Workshops, and find a bird photography workshop that is just right for you!