Thanks Tony, Andy, and Bob for your insights and useful links to further materials for reference.
It seems that although somewhat atypical, many features (plus location) lean at least slightly toward Double-crested – but certainly it’s possible that it’s a hybrid.
Probably best to leave this one as Cormorant sp., but it has been an interesting exercise in learning more about an ID challenge that I had underestimated.
Marcel
From: Robert O'Brien <baro...>
Sent: August 18, 2025 10:29 PM
To: Marcel Gahbauer <marcel...>
Cc: <BIRDWG01...>
Subject: Re: [BIRDWG01] Neotropic vs. Double-crested Cormorant
These eBurd reports notwithstanding, there are definitely some out there. Here is what my friend ChatGPT came up with. Bob OBrien Portland
* Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Palm Beach Co., Florida — repeated, well-documented mixed pairings inside the Double-crested colony:
If you want the exact passages (page context) from the FFN/FOSRC reports, I can pull those out for you—but the three committee reports above explicitly document the pair bond, copulation, and mixed-pair nesting events at Wakodahatchee.
Yes I do.
Summary Table
Site / Source
Observation Details
FOSRC 23rd Report (2015)
Adult Neotropic paired with Double-crested → hatched 4 young, fledged 2
FOSRC 26th Report (2018)
Female Neotropic “paired with” Double-crested Cormorant—explicit pairing confirmed
Birding Blog (Nemesisbird)
Adult Neotropic confirmed breeding with either Double-crested or hybrid mate
Tropical Audubon / Birds of S. Florida
Adult Neotropics on nests and apparently hybridizing since 2012
________________________________
Broad Takeaway
The only well-documented, explicit examples of mixed pairs (adult Neotropic × adult Double-crested Cormorants) being seen together and reproducing come from Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Palm Beach County:
* 2015 (FOSRC 23): Verified mixed pair hatched and fledged offspring.
* 2018 (FOSRC 26): Explicit observation of pairing behavior.
* Additional corroborative birding sources reinforce these occurrences since 2012.
On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 6:59 PM Robert O'Brien <baro...><mailto:<baro...>> wrote:
And then there are the hybrids. One reported even so far away as here in Portland Oregon. Note I said 'reported'.
Bob OBrien Portland.
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On Sat, Aug 16, 2025 at 6:10 AM Marcel Gahbauer <marcel...><mailto:<marcel...>> wrote:
Hi everyone,
I'm curious for feedback on an unusual cormorant observation I had earlier this week.
I was attending an event on private property adjacent to Lake Ontario, when my 8-year-old son came to tell me there was a cormorant 'trapped' in the rocks along the shore. It wasn't trapped as such - but it was just floating there in a small space between rocks, and occasionally being pushed into them by the waves. It looked like one eye was damaged or diseased, and locals told me some cormorants had washed up recently and were presumed to have died from botulism, so my initial thoughts were focused on the health of the bird more than its ID (given that the only regularly occurring species in Ontario is Double-crested).
However, upon sharing a few photos with friends, the suggestion was raised that it could be a juvenile Neotropic Cormorant, given the proportionately long tail, relatively darker upper breast, and generally sleek shape. In retrospect, it was relatively small - I didn't notice that at the time given the circumstances but I was as close as 5 m and so it seemed like a large bird based on proximity more than reality perhaps. On the other hand, the bill still looks to me quite sturdy and more like that of a Double-crested Cormorant.
Although I've seen Neotropic Cormorant once previously in Ontario (more conveniently among a group of Double-crested) and a few times in its regular range, I don't have enough experience to be confident in resolving these seemingly conflicting aspects of ID, and would welcome any insights. Photos are posted in my eBird report at https://ebird.org/checklist/S267572991
