{"id":142466,"date":"2025-04-02T02:39:56","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T07:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=142466"},"modified":"2025-04-01T17:31:40","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T22:31:40","slug":"double-crested-cormorant-drying-their-wings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/04\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-drying-their-wings\/","title":{"rendered":"Double-crested Cormorant Drying Their Wings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Almost two years ago, I was at a small pond in a city park near where I lived in Utah when I photographed this Double-crested Cormorant drying their wings.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-142463 size-full\" title=\"Adult Double-crested Cormorant drying their wings, Salt Lake County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg\" alt=\"Adult Double-crested Cormorant drying their wings, Salt Lake County, Utah\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20900%20643%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146-250x179.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146-600x429.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146-800x572.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Adult Double-crested Cormorant drying their wings, Salt Lake County, Utah<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"168\">My focus that day was primarily on migrating Common Loons and a leucistic American Coot that I knew were frequenting the pond, but I also took photos of the other birds there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"170\" data-end=\"253\">This Double-crested Cormorant was one of about 20\u201325 cormorants present at the pond that day. At times, the cormorants were fishing for breakfast. When they weren\u2019t fishing, they were resting, preening, and drying their wings. Just like this beautiful adult.<\/p>\n<p>These cormorants, like other cormorant species in North America and around the world, are excellent at catching fish. With their sharp hooked bills and expert diving skills, they can chase down fish underwater with impressive speed and agility.<\/p>\n<p>I see plenty of Double-crested Cormorants here in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and I\u2019ve even had the chance to take some images of them. Hopefully, I\u2019ll be adding a whole lot more to my gallery soon!<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/double-crested-cormorant-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Double-crested Cormorant photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Almost two years ago, I was at a small pond in a city park near where I lived in Utah when I photographed this Double-crested Cormorant drying their wings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":142463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,144,12454,26],"tags":[4004,4226,5548,5200,149,5596,4173,10698,1984,165,8018,3996,5498],"class_list":["post-142466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-double-crested-cormorant","category-san-juan-county","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-behavior","tag-cormorant","tag-cormorants","tag-double-crested-cormorant","tag-drying","tag-nannopterum-auritus","tag-park","tag-pond","tag-spring","tag-urban","tag-water","tag-wings"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-B3Q","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":97225,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/11\/12\/wondering-about-overwintering-double-crested-cormorants\/","url_meta":{"origin":142466,"position":0},"title":"Wondering About Overwintering Double-crested Cormorants","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Last winter I missed seeing overwintering Double-crested Cormorants at my local ponds and in other locations in northern Utah where I typically see them.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Double-crested Cormorant drying its wings, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/double-crested-cormorant-hatch-year-mia-mcpherson-9716.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/double-crested-cormorant-hatch-year-mia-mcpherson-9716.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/double-crested-cormorant-hatch-year-mia-mcpherson-9716.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/double-crested-cormorant-hatch-year-mia-mcpherson-9716.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55188,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/12\/02\/immature-double-crested-cormorant-flight-in-golden-afternoon-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":142466,"position":1},"title":"Immature Double-crested Cormorant Flight In Golden Afternoon Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the birds I took images of that afternoon was an immature Double-crested Cormorant that flew past me in that golden light just barely above the surface of the pond.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant flight in golden light, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-flight-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0456.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-flight-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0456.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-flight-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0456.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-flight-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0456.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49593,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/11\/27\/double-crested-cormorant-after-surfacing\/","url_meta":{"origin":142466,"position":2},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant After Surfacing","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Last December there were several Double-crested Cormorants hanging around my local pond here in northern Utah and I had a great time photographing them.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant after surfacing from a dive, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-surfacing-mia-mcpherson-2294.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-surfacing-mia-mcpherson-2294.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-surfacing-mia-mcpherson-2294.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-surfacing-mia-mcpherson-2294.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":111204,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/03\/14\/double-crested-cormorant-on-the-bear-river\/","url_meta":{"origin":142466,"position":3},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant on the Bear River","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 14, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this adult Double-crested Cormorant at the end of March last spring as it swam by me on the Bear River. The color of its eyes was so striking.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spring Double-crested Cormorant on the Bear River, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/double-crested-cormorant-spring-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-4968.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56042,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/02\/12\/landing-immature-double-crested-cormorant-seeking-safety\/","url_meta":{"origin":142466,"position":4},"title":"Landing Immature Double-crested Cormorant Seeking Safety","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 12, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This immature Double-crested Cormorant appears to be molting and probably needs all the rest it can get because of the molt and because winter is hard on these overwintering cormorants.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Double-crested Cormorant landing on a pond, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-immature-landing-mia-mcpherson-1651.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-immature-landing-mia-mcpherson-1651.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-immature-landing-mia-mcpherson-1651.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-immature-landing-mia-mcpherson-1651.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43886,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/12\/13\/double-crested-cormorant-with-its-catch\/","url_meta":{"origin":142466,"position":5},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant With Its Catch &#8211; The Story Behind The Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It was fun photographing this Double-crested Cormorant with its catch yesterday afternoon close to home especially since I knew the weather was going to take a turn.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant with a large fish, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-fish-mia-mcpherosn-2154.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-fish-mia-mcpherosn-2154.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-fish-mia-mcpherosn-2154.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-fish-mia-mcpherosn-2154.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142466"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142466\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}