Hybrid Cormorant? Australia (1 Viewer)

[Tiraya]

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/307097/limit/recent

This bird (and the one infront of it) were amongst Little Pied and Black Cormorants at Albert Lake. It appears to show features of both Little Pied and Pied Cormorants. Is this a hybrid?

 

[birdingintas]

It's been a while since I have seen a Pied Cormorant as they rarely show up down here in Tasmania. However both birds in your photo look like normal Little Pied Cormorants to me. Which features made you think that they might be a hybrid?

 

[John_WA]

I'm guessing it's the dark flanks/'trouser legs' that are causing the confusion? Adult Pieds have them while adult Little Pieds don't

However, young Little Pieds do have dark flanks, so based on that and size compared to the adult Little Pied in the photo, I suspect the mystery bird is just a young Little Pied

 

[Tiraya]

What gets me is the shape of the head (it is longer than a Little Pied?) and the amount of bill that protudes out of the head (seems to be halfway between the two?). Plus, this bird was larger than the Little Pied Cormorants around it. I will upload a comparison shot later today.

It is possible that the feathers on this bird were wet and appeared flatter, making it look smoother (Little Pieds tend to have a form of crest in my experience).

EDIT: While I have time I have a Little Pied Cormorant from the same location. The head still seems...odd to me.
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/307204/limit/recent

 

[njlarsen]

That one definitely looks wet!

Cheers
Niels