Subject: [Tweeters] Double-crested Cormorant Fish Fight - Images
Date: Jan 19 19:47:48 2008
From: johntubbs at comcast.net - johntubbs at comcast.net


Hi Everyone,

After finding the Rough-legged Hawk in my previous post, I continued to the Everett waterfront, then down to the Edmonds fishing pier. I got to witness a fascinating interaction between two Double-crested Cormorants. One of the birds had caught a fairly large rockfish and was prepping it to be swallowed. Before attempting to swallow it, the bird dove under the water again. I recently learned from Dennis Paulson that cormorants and grebes will sometimes release a fish they have caught under to determine if it is still alive before they swallow it - since a live fish in your stomach probably wouldn't make for an enjoyable lunch. Whether that was what this bird was doing or not I can't say, of course. However, one unintended result of the bird's delayed swallowing attempt was that a second cormorant rushed over to try to steal the meal. A thrashing scuffle ensued during which the cormorant who had caught the fish quickly swallowed it - the following image shows the insta!
nt the
swallowing occurred http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=5508085&cat=38972. It didn't take long for the fish to be completely swallowed. From the previous link/image, click NEXT in my website two times and you will see the bird's highly distended esophagus as the fish is swallowed. Pretty amazing!

John Tubbs
johntubbs at comcast.net
www.tubbsphoto.com