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THE CORMORANT AND ITS HABITS Cormorants which migrate through Minnesota and nest in colonies in the northern part of that state and Canada were usually numerous last spring says a writer in Fins Feathers and Fur It is the habit of cormorants to migrate in large bands and to stop occasionally along their route of travel where favorable opportunity offers and rest several days at a time and feed on the fish of the smaller lakes It is then that the local angler notices the destructive habits of these birds and desires to an ¬ nihilate them themThe The cormorant feeds solely on fish consequently N inclined to become a nuisance wherever too plentiful He is not only objectionable to anglers but annoys commercial fishermen A colony nests on Lake of the Woods which is an especial object of hatred of the net fishermen who shoot into the birds nesting colony every time they pass it The actual damage done by the birds is probably in ¬ considerable however as they only remain for a short period at a time on the small lakes while passing to their northern breeding resorts in the spring and the nesting places are for the most part in the remote regions of the far north where the fish missedThe consumed by the birds will not be missed The cormorant is an aquatic fowl black in color webfooted with a long neck heavy body short legs set far back strong beak hooked at the tip yellow pouch smaller than that of the pelican and stands in a vertical position It is a strong swimmer and diver Its flight resembles that of a duck but more leisurely It is a large bird about two and a half feet long with a wing spread of about four feet feetThere There are many species of cormorants in all parts of the world many local names for them such as black jack crow duck black loon etc etcThese These birds have no gizzard like other birds but have a stomach large enough to hold a fish at least six inches long Thousands of them get out on a lake all dive at once and seem to drive the fish into the shallow water where they can be easily caught
