At the end of April, while photographing an Osprey and Caspian Terns, I also found a Double-crested Cormorant swallowing a Tiger Trout close to home.
Double-crested Cormorant swallowing a Tiger Trout – Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The Tiger Trout looked large, but the Double-crested Cormorant had no trouble at all swallowing it. Because the cormorant was so close, I was able to see the spots on the sides of the trout, as I stood behind my tripod.
Tiger Trout are are hybrids resulting from male Eastern brook trout and female brown trout cross-breeding. These trout will never be invasive because they are sterile and cannot procreate. Tiger Trout are named the squiggly patterns covering the sides of their bodies. Some tiger trout have rosettes that closely resemble a leopard‘s spots. These trout are used to stock ponds and lakes for sport fishing.
I think Tiger Trout are a beautiful fish.
The Double-crested Cormorant quickly swallowed the fish before other cormorants and pelicans could swoop in to steal its prey. With prey this large and well-stocked it is no wonder the cormorants hang around at my local pond.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Double-crested Cormorant photos plus facts and information about this species.
Had not heard of Tiger Trout– good to know!
I think those trout are bizarre looking. I only saw one for the first time in the wild a few years ago. I wondered what the cormorant was eating, I had to look it up when I got home. I think they should be called leopard trout.
That does indeed look like a big fish. And thank you for the information about tiger trout – not something I had ever heard about.