Like last week’s species, the Double-crested Cormorant is, among breeding waterbirds, a relative newcomer to the Great Lakes and Upper St. Lawrence River watershed. Large breeding colonies have long existed throughout the Canadian Prairies and across the Maritimes and coastal Quebec, but in recent years, more interior cities like Ottawa and Gatineau have become home to breeding colonies.

Double-Crested Cormorant photo by Jan Ardentsz

Each week we introduce a new bird from the Ottawa-Gatineau area through our segment on CBC Radio’s In Town and Out. Alex MacDonald, Nature Canada’s Manager of Protected Areas, shares interesting facts about the birds that live in our communities. Be sure to tune-in to “Bird Tweet of the Week” on CBC Radio One 91.5 FM on Saturday mornings from 6am to 9am and listen to past episodes on our website.

This episode aired on Saturday November 22, 2014