NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: Matheson Hammock


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Posted by Robin for Marshall Iliff on 05:47:23 12/25/12

Yesterday, Marshall Iliff found a Neotropic Cormorant on the pilings in Matheson Hammock Marina. Below is his description:

"SY bird; seen sitting on pilings in marina at south side, near parking lot at tip of Matheson Hammock Park. Below is a brief list of the field marks: 1) Size about 20-30% smaller than Double-cresteds in same area (but not immediately adjacent); 2) Tail about half the body length, maybe slightly more (vs. body about 2.5x the tail length of DCCO); 3) gular skin medium orange not the bright, pumpkin orange of DCCO; 4) supraloral feathers with a faint hint of some orange underneath but at any distance the supraloral was entirely dark and feathered (unlike the bright, thick orange supaloral of DCCO); 5) gular pouch slightly angled at about a 100-110 degree angle; 6) narrow whitish border to gular skin; 7) brilliant dark emerald-green eye; 8) SY with two clear generations of remiges and obvious wing molt when wings spread. Later flushed off piling by pelican and flew out the inlet and around the tip of the park heading north. In flight the wings showed lots of missing secondaries and inner primaries; 9) scapulars and tertials were rather long and slender with bluntly pointed tips, unlike Double-cresteds shorter, more rounded scapulars and wide blunt tips of the tertials; this last mark is shown well in the photos."

Marshall took great photos and I'll try to post one soon.



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