Double-crested Cormorant

Nannopterum auritum

First photographed: June 24, 2026
First location: Utah, United States
Conservation status: Least Concern

Double-crested cormorant basking in the sun on a log in a lake near Oak Hill, Tennessee.

An evolving study

Double-crested Cormorant portfolio

This collection grows as I return to photograph new behavior, habitat, seasons, and stages of life.

Juvenile double-crested cormorant on a log in a lake near Oak Hill, Tennessee.

Group of double-crested cormorants perched in a tree in Oak Hill, Tennessee.

Natural history

Species at a glance

Nannopterum auritum

Overview

The Double-crested Cormorant is a large North American diving bird that swims low in the water and often stands with wings spread after feeding. Colonies nest in trees, on islands, and on artificial structures.

Identification

Dark body, long neck, orange-yellow facial skin, hooked bill, and short dark tail. Breeding adults develop paired dark or white crests; juveniles are browner with a paler chest.

Range

Breeds across much of Canada and the United States. Northern birds migrate to ice-free inland waters and the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts, while some populations are resident.

Habitat

Lakes, rivers, reservoirs, estuaries, bays, lagoons, and coastal waters with abundant fish and resting sites.

Diet

Mostly fish captured underwater, with occasional crustaceans, amphibians, and other aquatic animals.

Photography by Brittany Templin

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