Indian Cormorant.. Arms wide open!!!

[Murugan Anantharaman]

Saw this cormorant while photographing flamingoes in Airoli creek in Navi Mumbai. This bird was sitting with its wings open for quite a while. I first thought maybe its exercising its wings and would fold it back, but it seemed as if it had been mesmerised by something. Was interesting to watch it.

Nikon D3100, F/9, SS 1/320, ISO 400, focal length 300mm. cropped a bit.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Nice.I think the bird is drying itself.they do it all the time.

TFS
Roopak

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Good image.In my view,it is a Great Cormorant(Phalacrocorax carbo) in breeding plumage,not Indian Cormorant(Phalacrocorax fuscicollis).Roopak Bhai is correct when he says, it is drying up its wings,it does so at every opportunity.Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice behavior captured. I agree with the comments above. Good display of habitat. Thanks for sharing.

[Ragoo Rao]

Little Cormorant-Phalacrocorax niger.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I generally have a problem in identifying these. While giving id, it would be great learning experience to have the reasons as well. I am describing the two:

The large cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo has a yellow gular pouch and in non-breeding birds it is less bright. Breeding birds have white on head and neck.

The Little cormorant is much smaller in size, black and with a small white throat patch and has a stiff tail.