Male Brandt's Cormorant courtship display with head pointing skyward and wings partially spread. Note the blue throat, a type of breeding plumage. Only males skypoint.
Species: Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40138
A Brandt's Cormorant tends to its built on sea cliffs. Note the colors it assumes during mating season: striking blue gular pouch (throat) along with faint blue-green iridescence in its plumage.
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40140
Male Brandt's Cormorant Skypointing, Courtship Display, Breeding Plumage with blue throat and white pin-feathers, La Jolla. Skypointing is an interesting courtship behavior that many birds practice. Among Brandt's Cormorants the male performs this, likely as a way of attracting a mate to the nest he has built by showing off his striking blue throat. He tips his head backward showing off his striking blue throat, and partially raises his wings. Seen here on seacliffs above the ocean, where the fading light of late afternoon just illuminates his head and wings.
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40142
Double-crested cormorant drys its wings in the sun following a morning of foraging in the ocean, La Jolla cliffs, near San Diego.
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40784
Brandt's Cormorant Portrait with Breeding Plumage, with blue throat and white feathers on each side of the head.
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40799
Brandt's Cormorant Spreading Wings to Land on sea cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40813
Brandt's Cormorant Spreading Wings to Land on sea cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40814
Brandt's Cormorant Portrait Overcast Light on La Jolla Cliffs, Brandt's cormorants gather in winter and early spring to nest and rear their chicks on the cliffs near La Jolla.
Species: Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40875