Cormorants seem like a rather independent lot, off the colony, with some air
drying, and some not, with little or no interaction, so signalling appears
unlikely to me. Do Cormorants have much of an oil gland? You (or at least
I) don't see them preening like lots of other aquatic birds. Moreover, they
don't seem to be as bouyant; most of their bodies are underwater when
they're surfaced. Anhingas also hang their wings out to dry and don't
appear very buoyant either.

Herb Curl

h.curl at hazmat.noaa.gov "You may be only young once but you can be
Hazmat/NOAA, 7600 Sand Pt. Wy., NE immature the rest of your life."
Seattle, WA 98115-0070
(206) 526-6272