Phalacrocorax auritus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) is a member of the cormorant family of water birds. It is found near rivers and lakes and in coastal areas and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico. Measuring 70–90 cm (28–35 in) in length, it is entirely black except for a bare patch of orange-yellow facial skin and some extra plumage that it exhibits in the breeding season when it grows a double crest in which black feathers are mingled with white. Five subspecies are recognized. It mainly eats fish and hunts by swimming and diving. Its feathers, like all cormorants, are not waterproof, and it must dry them out after spending time in the water. Once threatened by the use of DDT, the numbers of this bird have increased markedly in recent years.
The double-crested cormorant was described by René Primevère Lesson in 1831. It was formerly classified in the genus Phalacrocorax, but a 2014 study supported reclassifying it and several other American cormorant species into the genus Nannopterum. The IOC followed this classification in 2021.
Its scientific genus name is derived from the Greek words νᾶνος... Wikipedia →
Recording0:08
United States · 2023
© riley_j · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:15
United States · 2025
© Justin Donahue · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Recording0:07
Canada · 2025
© sankarancls · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Denver Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Silver Springs | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Zoo Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Brookfield Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Detroit Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Audubon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Saint Louis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Cameron Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Tracy Aviary | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Florida Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Mote Marine Laboratory | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Flint RiverQuarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Seaside Seabird Sanctuary | 🇺🇸 United States |
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Double-crested Cormorant sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 995 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 216 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April, August, October and December–February
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Double-crested Cormorant in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against about 70% in May–June and September, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Double-crested Cormorant sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 37 parks where we can rate Double-crested Cormorant sightings, Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come Point Pelee National Park (Canada, about 70%) and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (United States, about 70%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Double-crested Cormorant is recorded against all the birds logged in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (995 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
