Cormorant sp Dhaka, Bangladesh November 2019 (TERRIBLE PIC WARNING) (1 Viewer)

Had a good morning out birding this morning with a few lifers. Just as we were starting birding we saw a group of five cormorants flying a ways out. We managed to snap a few shots and this is the best. The most common cormorant species is Little Cormorant but out on the edge of Dhaka people fairly often see flocks of Great Cormorants. I'm not sure if these can be identified from this picture or not. But to me at least they at the time felt different from Little cormorants in that they were in a small flock and the flight pattern felt slightly different. I'd appreciate any help.

Maybe

Hi Seth!
I can only give you my humble thoughts and opinions.
I am in Japan and live where there are alot of
Great, and Temminck's (aka Japanese) Cormorants around me.

Without a closeup of the bill, it can be difficult to ID.
FOR A GREAT CORMORANT,
closeup would show significant amounts of white/gray
and a touch of yellow, compared to Temminck's,
which have alot more yellow.

As well, The Temminck's heads are more flat on top,
similar the Little Cormorants I think. The necks and heads of Great Cormorants are a little more graceful looking than the Temminck's.

SO, if you base this information very loosely,
a guessamate would be Little Cormorants,
with MAYBE a Great thrown in there.

I would make more visits to areas there with Great Cormorants, if you can.
They are wonderful to see. Perhaps someday I will get a chance to see what you see there with the Little Cormorants :bounce:

Here is a link to a wonderful Cormorant paper written by Dr. Nial Moores https://hokkaidojef.home.blog/2019/06/29/differences-between-cormorants/

Jeff

Thanks for the input.
I'm getting more and more sure they're just little cormorants. Somehow they had struck me as a little different when I saw them, but looking at the photos again they seem fine for Little.
I'll get the Great Cormorants sooner or later!