Great cormorants gliding through a snowstorm in Hesse, Germany
© Wilfried Martin/Getty Image
March of the cormorants. Great cormorants
Great cormorants are among the great anglers of the avian world. Found in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and North America, they're expert at diving under the water's surface to catch bottom-dwelling fish.
But these underwater fishing expeditions come at a price: Ironically for a water-diving bird, the great cormorant's plumage isn't sufficiently waterproof. As a result, cormorants must come ashore to dry themselves by spreading their wings open for long periods. This behavior may also help with digestion or regulate their body temperature. Or maybe they're just showing off.
Related Images
Today on Bing

Wahclella Falls in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Mar 06, 2024

Icelandic horses standing in a field, Iceland
Mar 06, 2023

Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Mar 06, 2021

Cefalù on the Tyrrhenian coast in Sicily, Italy
Mar 06, 2019