Nature Walk: Black Bird in Flight

“The art of bird identification is in the details. Here we have two large black birds in flight, a double-crested cormorant on the left and a turkey vulture on the right. The vulture has very short neck while the cormorant's is longer and somewhat folded back. The vulture's wings are wider with dramatic slotting on the ends designed for soaring, while the cormorant's are designed for speed and maneuverability. These anatomical features do not take into account the location of the birds and the speed of flight, which also separates the birds.” -Carl Kurtz