The Story
I photographed this Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) from the Ferry Marcopolo on the Orteguaza River at Puerto Arango, near Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia, in February 2021. Also called the Olivaceous Cormorant, it ranges from the southern United States to southern South America, where it goes by the Indigenous name biguá. It is about 64 centimeters long with a 100-centimeter wingspan. Unlike other cormorants it often perches on wires, and it dives for small fish, pushing itself with its feet in dives of 5 to 15 seconds. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I made this frame with a Canon R5 and the RF 800mm f/11, at 1/1000 sec, f/11, ISO 3200, +2 EV. From the Marco Polo ferry, on a two-hour trip along the Orteguaza River, passengers see the Hacha River flow into the Orteguaza and watch for birds.
©2021 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) belongs to the family Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2018), with the population trend listed as increasing. Source: IUCN Red List