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10 years ago, I got into an argument with my college roommate about a bird many of you know as a water turkey. This roommate argued that a water turkey and a cormorant were the same bird. I am here today to tell you that these are actually two different birds.

Water Turkey is actually a nickname for a bird called an anhinga. Another nickname for this bird is a snake bird.  The photo of the bird on top is an anhinga. Anhingas are not seen in big groups. They are loners. Anhingas will stab the fish with their long straight beaks. I have observed anhingas dive out of cypress trees to catch fish in the past.

A double crested cormorant, is similar to an anhinga but there are some distinct differences. A cormorant is seen in large groups. I have noticed that populations of this bird have increased in South Georgia over the past ten years. Many people confuse large groups of cormorants for geese. If you point this out, folks usually look at you like your crazy because they do not believe you. Another difference of the cormorant is the beak. A cormorant has a curved point on the beak and uses its beak to crush the fish unlike the anhinga that stabs fish. The photo of the bird on the bottom is a cormorant.

This bird has came up twice in the last week in conversation. I do not think most people realize the differences. Many people mistake large groups of cormorants for geese. I just wanted to clear that up.

I do not know of any

I know many of you will rest much better at night now….

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