Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 09:43:46 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Paul Subject: Re: soaring cormorants MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit While head and neck shape are important and distinguishing features, I think the more obvious difference between the 2 is at the other end. Anhingas are much longer tailed. While in Belize a few weeks ago I watched Anhingas soar, and this difference jumped out me long before I got into the more subtle differences. Though as others noted, it's not just the tail length and shape, but also the wing and neck shape that help distinguish the 2. I think tail length is one of those features where you can try to persuade yourself into thinking that a cormorant is long enough tailed to be an Anhinga, until you see a real Anhinga and all the attempts at persuasion go out the window. And to echo Paul O'Brien's comments, cormorants are excellent soarers even if they don't do it as frequently as Anhingas. I was with Paul O. in Fred. Co. a few years ago, where we watched a cormorant soar extensively with a kettle of vultures. Try as we might, we just couldn't turn it into an Anhinga. Good birding, Paul Pisano Arlington, VA cheep@erols.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: Parke H John Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 07:23:37 -0400 .. After looking in "Sibely," the one outstanding characteristic of these birds, that would leave me to believe they were Anhingas, was the very long neck and head. The necks were very narrow and very long. The necks narrowed to the head, which narrowed to the beak, which seemed to narrow to a point. The neck and head were very serpentine looking. They looked much longer and narrower than I would expect a cormorant's neck to look. Seemingly too narrow and smooth for a cormorant (as seen in "Sibely"). The neck, head and beak formed a very very long thin perfect triangle. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================