Neotropic Cormorant? Toronto (1 Viewer)

[mordovarot]

Hi,

I've spotted two cormorants today in Toronto. Saw them together in flight first and the difference in size and tail lenght was significant. They lended and I went there to check them closer. I don't have enough experience with Neotropic, so need your help with that. One of the pictures on the water of Double-crested, for comparison of light conditions.

 

[Butty]

I see a hint of yellow on the upper part of the lore, most obviously in pic 2 - which suggests double-crested cormorant. Mucking about with the photos would probably help.

 

[mordovarot]

Closer and lighter...

 

[KC Foggin]

Double crested Cormie for me!

 

[Butty]

There's that hint of (apparent) upper-lore yellow in one but not in the other! Perhaps it's not actually present.

 

[Butty]

Double crested Cormie for me!

Are you keying into a particular feature?

 

[KC Foggin]

I wasn't seeing any signs of white on the sides of their faces or around bill!

 

[Butty]

That's often not obvious.

 

[mordovarot]

An example from ebird

ML169466731 - Neotropic Cormorant - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML169466731; © Sean Fitzgerald; Pinal, Arizona, United States

macaulaylibrary.org

 

[Butty]

An example from ebird

And that one shows yellowish on the lore. I wonder if it's identified correctly.

 

[nartreb]

I'm convinced. Despite the ambiguous photo #2, there's no way #1 is a double-crested: lores are clearly plain black. Mordovarot says he noticed a size and shape difference compared to double-crested cormorants that were in view at the same time, so I think both are neotropic.

 

[mordovarot]

The second set of photos (two heads left and right) is of the same bird.

 

[THE_FERN]

Hmm. Think this is difficult because the shape of the posterior gular skin is difficult to make out. On at least one image it appears pointed which is in line with neotropic cormorant. There's more info in this thread (for example):

https://www.birdforum.net/threads/neotropic-double-crested-cormorants-side-by-side.301070

That said, the general jizz I get is neotropic.

 

[mordovarot]

Well, it is pointed. Thanks for the thread.

 

[connorco]

The left bird in flight is definitely Neotropic with the long tail and small size.

 

[mordovarot]

Thanks to everyone!

 

[Butty]

The left bird in flight is definitely Neotropic with the long tail and small size.

From the photo alone it's not possible to tell the relative difference in size as the relative distance from the camera is not known.

 

[mordovarot]

As a follow up with a topic. Just found out that another, experienced birder, saw the bird independently and identified it also as a Neotropic. It proofs nothing but still... One more time many thanks to all who said the world to help me.

 

[connorco]

From the photo alone it's not possible to tell the relative difference in size as the relative distance from the camera is not known.

Compared to the DCCO on the right.

 

[Butty]

Compared to the DCCO on the right.

You miss my point... We don't know how far they are, relative to each other, from the camera. Thus we don't know that the apparent size difference is real.