23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE, COSTA RICA - CLAY COLOURED THRUSH (Turdus grayi)

The Clay-colored Thrush, Turdus grayi, is a bird of modest plumage, its feathers a subtle palette of brown hues, lighter on the flanks and faintly streaked on the throat. This bird, similar in size to the American Robin, measures approximately 23 to 27 centimeters in length and weighs between 74 to 76 grams. The young are distinguished by a faint mottling on their backs and underparts. Notable identification features include a greenish-yellow bill with a dark base, pinkish or flesh-colored legs, and reddish irises.

The song of the Clay-colored Thrush is a series of slurred musical phrases, often repeated irregularly at a slow, steady tempo. Its flight call is a harsher version of the American Robin's "tock." During the dry season, its mating call varies significantly across regions.

When identifying the Clay-colored Thrush, look for its brownish plumage, which is lighter below and lightest on the flanks. The throat bears faint streaks, and the bird's bill is greenish-yellow with a dark base. The legs are pinkish or flesh-colored, and the irises are a distinctive reddish color. Juveniles may exhibit faint mottling on their back and underparts.

The Clay-colored Thrush is a familiar sight in yards and gardens, much like its relatives the American Robin, the Eurasian Blackbird, and the Song Thrush. It thrives in a variety of habitats, from South Texas to northern Colombia, often found in human-altered landscapes where fruiting trees are present.

This bird's range extends from South Texas, where it is expanding its territory, to northern Colombia. It is predominantly found on the Atlantic slope west and north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, with an isolated population around Oaxaca City, Mexico.

The Clay-colored Thrush is known to forage on the ground or near it, usually alone or in pairs, though it may gather in flocks in fruiting trees. It is also known to follow army ants to capture small prey disturbed by the ants' movement.

The breeding season for the Clay-colored Thrush spans from March to July. It constructs a sturdy cup nest from grass, moss, feathers, leaves, and mud, often utilizing human structures for support. The female lays 2 to 4 pale blue eggs adorned with red-brown and gray markings and may produce two broods per season. The species is known for its aggressive defense of its nest, even against large raptors.

The Clay-colored Thrush may be confused with other Turdus species, but its unique coloration, reddish irises, and regional song variations help distinguish it from its relatives.

This thrush primarily feeds on fruit and invertebrates, foraging on the ground or in trees. It is opportunistic, sometimes taking advantage of disturbances caused by army ants to find prey.

The IUCN Red List classifies the Clay-colored Thrush as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without significant threats to its survival.

23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE, COSTA RICA - BLUE GREY TANAGER (Thraupis episcopus)

The blue-gray tanager (Thraupis episcopus ) is a medium-sized South American songbird of the tanager family, Thraupidae. Its range is from Mexico south to northeast Bolivia and northern Brazil, all of the Amazon Basin, except the very south. It has been introduced to Lima (Peru). On Trinidad and Tobago, this bird is called blue jean.

The blue-gray tanager is 16–18 cm (6.3–7.1 in) long and weighs 30–40 g (1.1–1.4 oz). Adults have a light bluish head and underparts, with darker blue upperparts and a shoulder patch colored a different hue of blue. The bill is short and quite thick. Sexes are similar, but the immature is much duller in plumage.

The song is a squeaky twittering, interspersed with tseee and tsuup call notes.

The breeding habitat is open woodland, cultivated areas and gardens. The blue-gray tanager lives mainly on fruit, but will also take some nectar and insects. This is a common, restless, noisy and confiding species, usually found in pairs, but sometimes small groups. It thrives around human habitation, and will take some cultivated fruit like papayas (Carica papaya ).

One to three, usually two, dark-marked whitish to gray-green eggs are laid in a deep cup nest in a high tree fork or building crevice. Incubation by the female is 14 days with another 17 to fledging. The nest is sometimes parasitised by Molothrus cowbirds.

Two birds studied in the Parque Nacional de La Macarena of Colombia were infected with microfilariae, an undetermined Trypanosoma species, and another blood parasite that could not be identified. Two other birds, examined near Turbo (also in Colombia), did not have blood parasites.

Widespread and common throughout its large range, the blue-gray tanager is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE, COSTA RICA - PURPLE THROATED MOUNTAIN GEM HUMMINGBIRD (FEMALE)

25-3-2017 CATIE CENTER, COSTA RICA - BOAT BILLED HERON (Cochlearius cochlearius)

The boat-billed heron (Cochlearius cochlearius), colloquially known as the boatbill, is an atypical member of the heron family. It is the only member of the genus Cochlearius and was formerly placed in a monotypic family, the Cochleariidae. It lives in mangrove swamps from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil. It is a nocturnal bird, and breeds semicolonially in mangrove trees, laying two to four bluish-white eggs in a twig nest.

23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE, COSTA RICA - BLACK FACED SOLITAIRE (Myadestes melanops)

23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE, COSTA RICA - ACORN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes formicivorus)

24-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA, COSTA RICA - GOLDEN HEADED TANAGER (Stilpnia larvata)

The golden-hooded tanager (Stilpnia larvata) is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder from southern Mexico south to western Ecuador.

Adult golden-hooded tanagers are 13 cm (5.1 in) long and weigh 19 g (0.67 oz). The adult male has a golden head with a black eyemask edged with violet blue above and below. The upperparts of the body are black apart from the turquoise shoulders, rump and edgings of the wings and tail. The flanks are blue and the central belly is white. Females have a greenish tinge to the head, sometimes with black speckling on the crown, and more extensively white underparts. Immatures are duller, with a green head, dark grey upperparts, off-white underparts, and little blue in the plumage.

The golden-hooded tanager's call is a sharp tsit and the song is a tuneless rattled series of tick sounds.

It resides from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) altitude in the canopy of dense forests and semi-open areas like clearings, second growth and well-vegetated gardens.

Golden-hooded tanagers occur in pairs, family groups or as part of a mixed-species feeding flock. They eat certain small fruit (e.g. of Trophis racemosa (Moraceae) usually swallowed whole, and insects are also taken.

The cup nest is built in a tree fork or in a bunch of green bananas, and the normal clutch is two brown-blotched white eggs. This species is often double-brooded, and the young birds from the first clutch assist with feeding the second brood of chicks.

24-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA, COSTA RICA - GOLDEN OLIVE WOODPECKER (Colaptes rubiginosus)

The golden-olive woodpecker (Colaptes rubiginosus) is a species of bird in the subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found from Mexico south and east through Panama, in every mainland South American country except Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The golden-olive woodpecker was originally described as the "brown woodpecker" (Picus rubiginosus). It was later placed in the genus Piculus but since about 2007 has been moved into Colaptes by taxonomic systems.

23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE COSTA RICA - GARTERED TROGON (Trogon caligatus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/73523-Trogon-caligatus

23-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER, COSTA RICA - BLACK THROATED TROGON (FEMALE) (Trogon rufus)

The black-throated trogon, also known as yellow-bellied trogon, (Trogon rufus) is a near passerine bird in the trogon family, Trogonidae. Although it is also called "yellow-bellied trogon" it is not the only trogon with a yellow belly. It breeds in lowlands from Honduras south to western Ecuador and northern Argentina.

23-3-2017 SAN GERARDO DE DOTA COSTA RICA - MENELAUS MORPHO (Morpho menelaus)

The Menelaus blue morpho (Morpho menelaus) is one of thirty species of butterfly in the subfamily Morphinae. Its wingspan is approximately 12 cm (4.7"), and its dorsal forewings and hindwings are a bright, iridescent blue edged with black, while the ventral surfaces are brown. Its iridescent wings are an area of interest in research because of their unique microstructure. Due to its characteristic blue color, Morpho menelaus is considered valuable among collectors and was widely hunted in the 20th century.

This neotropical butterfly is found in Central and South America, including the Cerrado which is a vast tropical savanna in Brazil. Other locations include Mexico and Venezuela. Ancestors of the Morpho menelaus butterfly may have been distributed in the Andean regions. Morpho menelaus is one of the six species of Morpho in Costa Rica. The genus of Morpho is present in regions beginning in Mexico and throughout South America, except Chile. Moreover, the Morpho menelaus struggle to survive in the northern Pacific area of Costa Rica since they can’t tolerate such dry conditions. They also need habitats in old growth forests with proper differentiation between the understories and canopies (Murillo-Hiller & Canet, 2018).

23-3-2017 SAN GERARDO DE DOTA, COSTA RICA - GOLDEN BROWED CHLOROPHONIA (Chlorophonia callophrys)

The golden-browed chlorophonia (Chlorophonia callophrys) is a species of bird in the family Fringillidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. It is uncommon in subtropical or tropical moist montane forest above 750 m (2,460 ft) elevation.

In Costa Rica, its local common name is the rualdo. There is a legend of how this bird used to have a wonderful singing voice, but offered that to the volcano Poás to prevent a young woman from having to be sacrificed, thus keeping the volcano from erupting.

A brightly coloured bird, the golden-browed chlorophonia is distinctive within its range. The male is bright green above and yellow below, with a wide golden-yellow eyebrow stripe and a violet-blue cap. It has a narrow blue eye ring and a thin blue line extending from its nape to its breast. The female is similar, but without the golden brown and yellow breast; these are both replaced with green. They average 13 cm (5.1 in) in length.

It has a soft whistling call: wheeeeuuu.

23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE COSTA RICA - BLACK HEADED TROGON (Trogon melanocephalus)

The black-headed trogon (Trogon melanocephalus) is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.

23-3-2017 TROGON LODGE COSTA RICA - YELLOW THROATED TOUCAN (Ramphastos ambiguus)

The yellow-throated toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus) is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found from Honduras south into northern South America and beyond to Peru.

The subspecies of yellow-throated toucan are found thus:

R. a. swainsonii, from southeastern Honduras through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and western Colombia to southwestern Ecuador

R. a. ambiguus, from southwestern Colombia on the eastern slope of the Andes to south-central Peru

R. a. abbreviatus, northeastern Colombia and northwestern and northern Venezuela

The "chestnut mandibled" R. a. swainsonii primarily inhabits lowland evergreen primary forest and also occurs in gallery forest, older secondary forest, and well-treed parks and gardens. It shuns dry forest and large open areas but can be found in plantations with fruiting trees that border forest. The two "black-mandibled" subspecies are usually found in the interior of humid primary montane forest but also occur at its edges and clearings and in older secondary forest. In Ecuador the "chestnut-mandibled" is found from sea level to 1,000 m (3,300 ft), in Colombia below 2,000 m (6,600 ft), and in Costa Rica to 1,200 m (3,900 ft). The "black-mandibled" occurs between 1,000 and 1,600 m (3,300 and 5,200 ft) in Ecuador and up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft) in Colombia.

23-3-2017 GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA - SNAIL KITE (Rostrhamus sociabilis)

The snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the slender-billed kite, is now again placed in Helicolestes, making the genus Rostrhamus monotypic. Usually, it is placed in the milvine kites, but the validity of that grouping is under investigation.

The snail kite breeds in tropical South America, the Caribbean, and central and southern Florida in the United States. It is resident all-year round in most of its range, but the southernmost population migrates north in winter and the Caribbean birds disperse widely outside the breeding season.

It nests in a bush or on the ground, laying three to four eggs.

This is a gregarious bird of freshwater wetlands, forming large winter roosts. Its diet consists almost exclusively of apple snails, especially the species Pomacea paludosa in Florida, and species of the genus Marisa.

Snail kites have been observed eating other prey items in Florida, including crayfish in the genus Procambarus, crabs in the genus Dilocarcinus, black crappie, small turtles and rodents. It is believed that snail kites turn to these alternatives only when apple snails become scarce, such as during drought, but further study is needed. On 14 May 2007, a birder photographed a snail kite feeding at a red swamp crayfish farm in Clarendon County, South Carolina.

The presence of the large introduced Pomacea maculata in Florida has led the snail kites in North America to develop larger bodies and beaks to better eat the snail, a case of rapid evolution. These non-native snails provide a better food source than the smaller native snails and have had a positive effect on the kites' populations.

22-3-2017 SAN JUAN, COSTA RICA - KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)

 The killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a large plover found in the Americas. It was described and given its current scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. The common name of this species comes from its often-heard call. The population of killdeer is declining and it is protected by the American Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the Canadian Migratory Birds Convention Act.

The killdeer has a short, thick, and dark bill, flesh-colored legs, and a red eye ring. Its upperparts are mostly brown with rufous fringes; the head has patches of white and black, and there are two black breast bands. It has a white forehead and a white stripe behind the eye, and its lores and the upper borders to the white forehead are black. The killdeer also has a white collar with a black upper border. The rest of the face is brown. The breast and belly are white, with the exception of two black breast bands. The rump is red, and the tail is mostly brown. In flight, a white wing stripe at the base of the flight feathers is visible. The female's mask and breast bands tend to be browner than those of the male. The juvenile is similar to the adult. The upper parts of the chicks are colored dusky and buff. Their underparts, forehead, neck, and chin are white, and they have a single band across their breast.

Killdeer breed in the US (including southeastern Alaska), southern Canada, and Mexico, with less widespread grounds further south, to Panama. These birds are resident in the southern half of their breeding range, found throughout the year in most of the contiguous United States. Some northern populations are migratory and winter south to Central America, the West Indies, Colombia, Ecuador, and islands off Venezuela. Killdeer inhabit coastal wetlands, beach habitats, and coastal fields. Their breeding grounds are generally open fields with short vegetation. Although generally a low-land species, killdeer may be found up to the snowline in meadows and open lakeshores during their autumn migration.

21-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - BLUE GREY TANAGER (Thraupis episcopus)

21-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - RUFOUS COLLARED SPARROW (Zonotrichia capensis)

The Rufous-collared Sparrow, also known as the Andean Sparrow, is a small, charming bird measuring 13.5–15 cm in length and weighing between 20–25 grams. Adults are recognized by their stubby grey bills and a distinctive grey head marked with broad black stripes on the crown sides, and thinner stripes through the eye and below the cheeks. A notable rufous nape and breast sides complement their black-streaked buff-brown upperparts, and they exhibit two white wing bars. Their throats are white, transitioning to off-white underparts that become brown on the flanks, highlighted by a black breast patch. Juveniles present a more subdued appearance with duller, indistinct head patterns and streaked underparts, lacking the adult's rufous collar.

When identifying this species, look for the rufous collar around the nape and the black stripes on the head. The two white wing bars are also key features. The largest subspecies, found on the tepuis, has grey underparts and a more extensive rufous collar that appears as a band of black freckles across the breast.

The Rufous-collared Sparrow thrives in a variety of open or semi-open habitats, including cultivated lands, gardens, parks, grasslands, and scrubby second growth or cerrado. It is well-adapted to urban and suburban environments but is notably absent from dense Amazonian forests.

This adaptable bird ranges from the extreme south-east of Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, and on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. In the northern and western parts of its range, it is typically found at altitudes of 600–4,000 meters, while in the southern and eastern parts, it is commonly found down to near sea level.

The Rufous-collared Sparrow is often seen in pairs or small flocks, holding small territories. It is known for its tame and approachable nature, making it a familiar sight across its extensive range.

The male's song is a delightful mix of slurred whistles and trills, varying geographically. Calls include a sharp "tsip." Listen for songs that may include tee-teeooo, e’e’e’e’e, or teeooo, teeeee, often delivered from a low perch.

Breeding is influenced by food availability and rainfall. Nests are open cups of plant material lined with fine grasses, placed in vegetation on the ground or low in a tree or bush. Females lay two or three pale greenish-blue eggs with reddish-brown blotches, which are incubated for 12–14 days. Males assist in feeding the chicks, which fledge after about two weeks. Brood parasitism by species such as the shiny cowbird may occur.

This sparrow forages on the ground for seeds, fallen grain, insects, and spiders. It may join mixed-species feeding flocks and has been observed picking termites from spider webs.

The Rufous-collared Sparrow is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, thanks to its widespread distribution and adaptability to human-altered environments.

21-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - BALTIMORE ORIOLE (MALE) (Icterus galbula)

21-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - RUFOUS BACKED WREN (Campylorhynchus capistratus)

The rufous-backed wren (Campylorhynchus capistratus) is a songbird of the family Troglodytidae. It is a resident breeding species from southwest Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica.

What is now the rufous-backed wren was previously treated as six of the eight subspecies of rufous-naped wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha). A 2009 publication proposed that Campylorhynchus rufinucha (sensu lato) be split into three species and the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) accepted the splits. What had been C. r. humilis was elevated to species status as Sclater's wren. The reduced C. rufinucha received the new English name Veracruz wren and the other six subspecies became subspecies of rufous-backed wren.

BirdLife International (BLI) has implemented the split but retains the English name rufous-naped wren for C. rufinucha. However, the North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (NACC/AOS) and the Clements taxonomy have not accepted the split as of early 2021.

The IUCN has assessed the rufous-backed wren as being of Least Concern. "The population has not been quantified since the species was split" but "is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats."

The six subspecies of rufous-backed wren accepted by the IOC are:

C. c. nigricaudatus Nelson (1897)

C. c. capistratus Lesson (1842)

C. c. xerophilus Griscom (1930)

C. c. castaneus Ridgway (1888)

C. c. nicaraguae Miller, W. & Griscom (1925)

C. c. nicoyae Phillips (1986)

The last of these has not been accepted by the Clements taxonomy.

The adult rufous-backed wren is 17 cm (6.7 in) long and weighs 29 to 42 g (1.0 to 1.5 oz). There is some variation among the subspecies but generally they have a black crown and eyestripe separated by a white supercilium, a rufous nape, and cinnamon to chestnut upperparts streaked with black and white, especially on the rump. The wings and tail are barred with black and grayish-white. The underparts are white. Young birds have duller upperparts and buff underparts.

The six subspecies of rufous-backed wren are found thus:

C. c. nigricaudatus, the Pacific coastal plain from southwestern Chiapas, Mexico into Guatemala

C. c. capistratus, the Pacific coastal plain from Guatemala south into El Salvador

C. c. xerophilus, the Motagua Valley of Guatemala

C. c. castaneus, interior Guatemala east to Honduras and Nicaragua

C. c. nicaraguae, interior of western Nicaragua

C. c. nicoyae, the Nicoya Peninsula of northwestern Costa Rica

This large wren occurs in lowlands and foothills from sea level up to 800 m (2,600 ft) elevation in Costa Rica and as high as 1,400 m (4,600 ft) in El Salvador. It inhabits dry forest or open woodland, scrub, second growth and savanna, mainly on the Pacific side of the central mountain ranges.

The rufous-backed wren forages actively in low vegetation for insects and other invertebrates, in pairs or family groups. They have adapted to live near humans and sometimes take table scraps. When attempting to consume prey, they may thrash it around with their beak before eating.

The rufous-backed wren's spherical nest has a side entrance and is lined with seed down. It is constructed 1.5 to 8 m (4.9–26.2 ft) high in thorny trees or shrubs, especially bull's-horn acacia. This species sometimes nests close to the nests of wasps and there is experimental evidence that those that do so are afforded substantial protection from predation. The female alone incubates the three to five brown- or black-spotted, white or greenish eggs for about two weeks until hatching, and the young fledge after about the same length of time again. After breeding, families sleep together in dormitory nests like those used for breeding.

The rufous-backed wren's songs vary somewhat among subspecies but the basic structure is "melodic, pure-tone syllables with multiple frequency changes combined into phrases." 

19-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus carolinensis)

19-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - PURPLE HONEYCREEPER (MALE) (Cyanerpes caeruleus)

The Purple Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes caeruleus, is a diminutive and vibrant member of the tanager family Thraupidae. This Neotropical avian jewel is adorned with a striking plumage; the male boasts a deep purple hue with contrasting black wings, tail, and underbelly, and sports vivid yellow legs. The female and immature birds present a more subdued palette, with green upperparts and yellowish-buff underparts streaked with green. A cinnamon throat and a distinctive blue moustachial stripe complete their attire. Both sexes have a long, black, decurved bill, with the Trinidadian subspecies C. c. longirostris exhibiting a notably longer bill than its mainland counterparts.

The Purple Honeycreeper's diet is varied, including nectar from bromeliads and other flowers suited to its bill shape, as well as berries, seeds from plants like Trema and Clusia, and a range of fruits. It also consumes insects, foraging primarily in the forest canopy.

The IUCN Red List currently classifies the Purple Honeycreeper as Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face immediate threats to its survival.

When identifying the Purple Honeycreeper, look for the male's unmistakable purple and black coloration and the female's green and buff streaked appearance. The long, curved bill is a key feature for nectar feeding, and the bright yellow legs of the male are quite distinctive. Juveniles resemble females but may lack the blue moustachial stripe.

This species is primarily a denizen of the forest canopy, but it also adapts to human-altered landscapes such as cocoa and citrus plantations. It thrives in a variety of forest types, including low-growing premontane rainforests rich in epiphytes and mosses, as well as elfin forests and páramo at higher elevations.

The Purple Honeycreeper is found across northern South America, from Colombia and Venezuela through the Amazon Basin and the Guianas. Its range extends west of the Andes to parts of southern Panama and reaches the western fringes of the Pantanal. It is generally seen at elevations up to 1,000 meters above sea level but has been recorded as high as 2,300 meters.

This species is often observed in small groups, actively foraging in the canopy. It is known for its boldness and curiosity, especially in response to the calls of predators such as the ferruginous pygmy owl, which it will approach to mob. The Purple Honeycreeper's diet consists of nectar, berries, seeds, fruits like bananas and papayas, and insects.

The vocalization of the Purple Honeycreeper is a high-pitched, thin 'zree', which is characteristic of the species.

The female takes on the responsibility of constructing a small cup nest within a tree. She incubates a clutch of two eggs, which are white with brown blotches, nurturing the next generation of these forest gems.

While the Purple Honeycreeper is quite distinctive, it may be confused with other honeycreepers. However, the combination of its coloration, bill shape, and habitat preferences can help differentiate it from its congeners.

19-3-2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA - DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT (Nannopterum auritum)

The double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) is a member of the cormorant family of water birds. It is found near rivers and lakes and in coastal areas and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico. Measuring 70–90 cm (28–35 in) in length, it is entirely black except for a bare patch of orange-yellow facial skin and some extra plumage that it exhibits in the breeding season when it grows a double crest in which black feathers are mingled with white. Five subspecies are recognized. It mainly eats fish and hunts by swimming and diving. Its feathers, like all cormorants, are not waterproof, and it must dry them out after spending time in the water. Once threatened by the use of DDT, the numbers of this bird have increased markedly in recent years.

The double-crested cormorant is a large waterbird with a stocky body, long neck, medium-sized tail, webbed feet, and a medium-sized hooked bill. It has a body length of between 70 and 90 cm (28 and 35 in) long, with a wingspan of between 114 and 123 cm (45 and 48 in). Double-crested cormorants weigh between 1.2 and 2.5 kg (2.6 and 5.5 lb). Males and females do not display sexual dimorphism.

This species has dark-colored plumage with bare supra-loreal skin and gular skin that is yellow or orange. An adult in breeding plumage will be mostly black with the back and coverts being a dark grayish towards the center. Nuptial crests, for which the species is named, are either white, black or a mix of the two. These are located just above the eyes with the bare skin on the face of a breeding adult being orange. A non-breeding adult will lack the crests and have more yellowish skin around the face. The bill of the adult is dark-colored. The double-crested cormorant is very similar in appearance to the larger great cormorant, which has a more restricted distribution in North America, mainly on the Canadian maritime provinces; it can, however, be separated by having more yellow on the throat and the bill. The neotropic cormorant also looks very similar, and the two species can sometimes be found together where their ranges meet.

The plumage of juvenile double-crested cormorants is more dark gray or brownish. The underparts of a juvenile are lighter than the back with a pale throat and breast that darkens towards the belly. As a bird ages, its plumage will grow darker. The bill of a juvenile will be mostly orange or yellowish.