{"id":58904,"date":"2019-07-07T04:01:28","date_gmt":"2019-07-07T10:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=58904"},"modified":"2024-02-27T05:54:33","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T12:54:33","slug":"adult-double-crested-cormorant-showing-the-electric-blue-lining-of-its-mouth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/07\/07\/adult-double-crested-cormorant-showing-the-electric-blue-lining-of-its-mouth\/","title":{"rendered":"Adult Double-crested Cormorant Showing The Electric Blue Lining Of Its Mouth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>During the breeding season adult Double-crested Cormorants are a bit more striking than they are during the nonbreeding season because of the changes in their plumage and inside their mouths.<\/p>\n<p>Wait. What? Inside their mouths?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-122129 size-full\" title=\"Double-crested Cormorant showing the electric blue lining of its mouth\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg\" alt=\"Double-crested Cormorant showing the electric blue lining of its mouth, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27600%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20900%20600%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27600%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Double-crested Cormorant showing the electric blue lining of its mouth<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Yes. During the breeding season even the inside of the mouths of Double-crested Cormorants show changes, the lining inside their mouths turns into a deep, electric or cobalt blue.<\/p>\n<p>This photo taken last month at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/refuge\/bear_river_migratory_bird_refuge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> shows that blue mouth lining and even though the cormorant was probably going out of breeding plumage by that time it was still a fairly bright blue.<\/p>\n<p>This cormorant was just swimming by when it opened its bill wide and I felt lucky to be able to get a few shows that showed that blue lining.<\/p>\n<p>Life<em> is<\/em> good&#8230;<\/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>During the breeding season even the inside of the mouths of Double-crested Cormorants show changes, the lining inside their mouths turns into a deep, electric or cobalt blue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":122129,"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":[124,27,1148,144,26],"tags":[4004,4053,5548,5200,149,7406,7404,4094,7405,4173,3996,1983,4095],"class_list":["post-58904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-double-crested-cormorant","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-cormorant","tag-cormorants","tag-double-crested-cormorant","tag-electric-blue","tag-lining","tag-marsh","tag-mouth","tag-nannopterum-auritus","tag-water","tag-water-birds","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-open-bill-mia-mcpherson-5542.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-fk4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":142466,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/04\/02\/double-crested-cormorant-drying-their-wings\/","url_meta":{"origin":58904,"position":0},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant Drying Their Wings","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Double-crested Cormorant drying their wings, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-wings-mia-mcpherson-3146.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":113290,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/05\/06\/double-crested-cormorant-with-a-tiger-trout\/","url_meta":{"origin":58904,"position":1},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant With A Tiger Trout","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant swallowing a Tiger Trout, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-tiger-trout-urban-mia-mcpherson-2945.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-tiger-trout-urban-mia-mcpherson-2945.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-tiger-trout-urban-mia-mcpherson-2945.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-tiger-trout-urban-mia-mcpherson-2945.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4368,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/02\/10\/double-crested-cormorant-friday-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":58904,"position":2},"title":"Double-crested Cormorant &#8211; Friday Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Double-crested Cormorants are the most widespread of North American cormorants where they are found in salt and freshwater habitats.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant on the Gulf, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-mia-mcpherson-3712.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-mia-mcpherson-3712.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-mia-mcpherson-3712.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/double-crested-cormorant-mia-mcpherson-3712.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":112566,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/04\/14\/landing-double-crested-cormorant-reflections\/","url_meta":{"origin":58904,"position":3},"title":"Landing Double-crested Cormorant Reflections","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 14, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Last Sunday, when April and I were photographing birds together, I took images of this adult Double-crested Cormorant landing on funky reflections.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Double-crested Cormorant sliding on water with colorful reflections, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-landing-funky-reflections-mia-mcpherson-2572.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-landing-funky-reflections-mia-mcpherson-2572.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-landing-funky-reflections-mia-mcpherson-2572.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/double-crested-cormorant-landing-funky-reflections-mia-mcpherson-2572.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":58904,"position":4},"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":55188,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/12\/02\/immature-double-crested-cormorant-flight-in-golden-afternoon-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":58904,"position":5},"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":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58904","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=58904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58904\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/122129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}