CORMORANT AND SHAG FAMILY: Living Disorganized Lives
With their powerful feet, Cormorants quickly propel Themselves through the water. Because their feathers are not waterproof, They can easily sink down into the water. However, when Cormorants emerge from the water, They have to remain on the shore to dry their wings.
Using seaweed, sticks, and flotsam, Cormorants build sloppy nests. (More often than not, their nests turn into rotting heaps.) Because of their general messiness, Cormorant colonies are islands of guano. Besides mining their rich droppings, fertilizer companies build platforms for these Birds to roost and breed on.
Another thing, Cormorants are known for is their superb fishing skills. After scooping Fish up with their throat pouch, They position the fish in their throat before swallowing. In China and Japan, fishermen will use these Birds to fish for them. Placing a ring over Cormorant’s neck, the fisherman would ensure that Cormorant could not swallow the Fish. When Cormorant caught a Fish, they would remove the Fish from the Bird’s throat.
Within Cormorant Family, there are two unique Birds. Beside Penguins, Flightless Cormorant is the only other flightless Sea Bird. One of the most primitive of Birds, Shag has an unusually large clutch of very small eggs.
Since They live messy lives, Cormorants often end up having others take advantage of them. Being disorganized, They have little understanding of how others profit from their activities. Cormorants show that having a chaotic life can make you subject to being used by someone else.
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Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers
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