Cormorant with white head, RSPB Old Moor, Yorkshire (1 Viewer)

[bradinho]

Has anyone seen this before?
Its head was almost entirely white down to it neck!
It also had a black stripe along the ridge of it head!!
It was sat normally with all the other cormorants....
How can this be?

 

[screaming piha]

Would be either a bird of the continental subspecies or an old mature bird of 'our' subspecies.

 

[bradinho]

Thanks jdj.
I had not noticed one so white before.
Is it the sinensis race?

 

[John Cantelo]

You can only be sure if you get a very detailed view of the feathering round the bill,

 

[TWM]

It could be sinesis but is more likely to be an old carbo, although the white on carbo is usually less prominent outside the breeding season.

 

[Steve Lister]

More likely sinensis than carbo surely? The hundred or so Cormorants that I watch have hardly any signs of the white head feathering yet - normally it starts to show in early January.

 

[bitterntwisted]

This old thread contains several posts and links which were very useful to me a couple of years ago on the complexities of carbo vs. sinensis... http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=776838

Graham

 

[bradinho]

Useful stuff now I'll be sure to check the gular angle everytime ....

 

[Gail161288]

We have them in Chester near the River Dee