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“The Dracula Bird”
Day 127 of my artwork retrospective
Still no camel drawing for Hump Day, so how about a double crested cormorant for “Wings Spread Wednesday?” I just made that up, but think of flying to the weekend and see if that tracks. Even better, if your weekend plans include a trip to the beach, here in South Florida you’re very likely to see a double-crested cormorant.
Although it’s shy about showing off the feathers on its head that inspired its name, this fish-eating bird or similar species can easily be found across the United States, wherever it can find fish to eat. I took my reference photo while on a trip to the Florida Keys, where they are abundant. Maybe too abundant for some people.
Some refer to cormorants as “Dracula birds” because of this wing-spreading behavior, and also “devil birds” with this last nickname possibly having to do with the jealousy people feel toward it. It seems to be human nature for a fisherman to observe a cormorant or other bird eating a fish and then think, “I could have caught that fish! That stupid bird is stealing my fish!”
What this duck-size bird is doing when it assumes this posture is simply allowing its wings to dry. Cormorants are adapted to swim under water to hunt their prey. Their large webbed feet provide excellent propulsion. Unlike most birds, their bones are not hollow, which would make them…
