Hanging Its Wings Out to Dry

Cormorants are diving birds, who use their wings like flippers underwater to chase and catch fish for their diet. They do not produce oil to protect their feathers from becoming wet and soggy, so they need to dry their feathers in order to be able to fly well. Here is a Double-crested Cormorant in a typical position drying it's wing feathers. It is a cool thing to see, and looks strange. Most water birds do not have to dry their feathers because they produce a coat of oil to keep the feathers from absorbing water You'll never see a duck in this position.

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