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Mark Billiau.


Premium (World), region Antwerp, Belgium

Great Cormorant

Do you know why a cormorant dries its feathers so often ?

Well, the cormorant does not have such a good water-repellent fat layer as most other water birds.
That is why the cormorant has to sit in the sun to dry with spread wings after a dive in the water.
That sounds strange to a water bird : a plumage that does not repel water as well.

But this disadvantage is also an advantage.
Because this bird can stay under water longer, without the upward pressure (of a water-repellent plumage) the animal would work upwards.

Dutch name : Aalscholver
German name : Kormoran
Latin name : Phalacrocorax carbo

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A big thanks to de ceulaer for the nomination of this picture for the German gallery.

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