I recently had the opportunity to visit a nesting colony of Brandt’s Cormorants. As expected, the birds were busy collecting nest material, bickering, mating, and performing their courtship display. The timing of my visit was early in the season, as very few nests were completed and no eggs were seen.

The courtship display of this bird is similar to some other species in that it throws its head back in an exagerated manner.  What makes the Brandt’s Cormorant so special, however, is that it shows off its spectacular electric blue gorget in the process.

The birds were generally crowded together, as is typical in such colonies, but there always seem to be one or two who choose a more isolated — although less-than-ideal — site, as the one depicted in the video below: