A Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) showing off its exotic blue gular patch and white breeding feathers.

If I only had a dollar for every time I’ve seen the confusion in the spelling of Brandt’s and Brant, I might be able to afford my dream birding trip to Ecuador. Right now we are nearing the end of the Brant Goose migration from Baja, Mexico to the Yukon and Alaska. Many of the Brant stage in the Parksville region to replenish their fat reserves on eelgrass and herring roe before they carry on to their nesting grounds. On the other hand, the Brandt’s Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) is a common year-round resident around the west coast and Vancouver Island.

Brandt's Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) are very social. They often hunt together in flocks and socialize on the rocks.

There are three species of cormorants found around Vancouver Island: Double-crested, Pelagic, and Brandt’s. The Pelagic is the smallest at about 71 cm (28 in) long. The Double-crested is next at 84 cm (33 in) and the Brandt’s is the largest at 86 cm (34 in). As you can see, the Brandt’s and Double-crested are similar in size but can easily be distinguished because the Brandt’s has a dark bill versus the orangey-yellow bill of the Double-crested. Besides being the largest cormorant, the Brandt’s has two other distinguishing features. First, it has pale, buffy feathers on its chin just under the eyes. Second, its breeding plumage features white feathering off the side of the head as well as a remarkable light blue gular patch on its chin. The Brandt’s is now molting into its breeding plumage, and this is a great time to see all three species in their breeding finery. In fact, I made a point of visiting Campbell River last week just to photograph the Brandt’s with its sexy blue gular patch.

A Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) carrying seaweed to its nesting site on the Oregon coast.

It won’t be long now before the breeding hormones kick in and the males start looking for their mates. Just like male humans the male cormorants try to entice the females with gifts. Instead of diamonds or other high-priced trinkets, the cormorants rely on practical earthly goods like seaweed and grass for nesting material. If the female likes her suitor she accepts the gift and starts building the nest while the male gathers more material. The Brandt’s usually nest on the outer coast on steep hillsides or cliffs. A great place to see the nesting activity in action is along the Oregon coast. In late May last year at Maquina Head conservation area, I had a great time photographing the Brandt’s Cormorants as they flew right in front of me mouthfuls of grass, and just below there were many nests in between the thousands of Common Murres. I would love to go back some time later in the summer to see the nestlings.

The Brandt’s is a deep-diving bird. It catches fish at all levels, but it often feeds on fish, shrimp, and crabs on the bottom as far as 150 feet down. Like other cormorants, its feathers are designed to water-log to assist in the diving. After the diving it is not uncommon to see the cormorants on the rocks with their wings hung out to dry.

If you want to see the Brandt’s and other cormorants, don’t wait too long. The best place to look is on the rocks at high tide along the shoreline just south of Campbell River. They’ll soon be heading for their nesting grounds.

About the Contributor:

Mike Yip is a Vancouver Island photographer who has published two very successful books on birds and has just released his third. More of his bird images can be found at his website Vancouver Island Birds.

The male Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) sports attractive iridescent purple and colours on its head.

The Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola) may be the smallest ducks in North America, but they are the favorites of many bird lovers. Because of their petite size and elaborate courtship displays, they are always fun to watch. Whenever I see them in freshwater ponds or the shallow coastal waters, I always think of the little rubber duckies that youngsters enjoy playing with in the bathtub. Just how small are they? Just think of how small you need to be to nest in the tree cavity of a Northern Flicker. The Buffleheads are slightly larger than the flicker but can squeeze into the 3 inch opening that the flickers use.

The bright white male Bufflehead will be the first to catch your attention. It is mostly white except for the iridescent purple and green head and a black back. The head colour is interrupted by a large white wedge on the back. Like many other duck species, the female is mostly brown except for a white cheek patch. Both ducks have the characteristic large head similar to a buffalo which is the origin of “buffle.”

The female Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) is distinguished by a small white cheek patch.

During the winter Buffleheads are distributed along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and throughout most of the United States into Mexico. The summer breeding range extends from B.C. east to Ontario and north to Alaska. Unused Northern Flicker holes are the favorite nesting cavities. The females lay from 4 to 17 eggs and incubate and raise the ducklings on her own. Interior lakes and ponds are used for rearing the young until the cold weather forces them south.

In the early 20th century Bufflehead populations were significantly reduced by extensive hunting. However, their populations have rebounded nicely since 1955.

About the Contributor:

Mike Yip is a Vancouver Island photographer who has published two very successful books on birds and has just released his third. More of his bird images can be found at his website Vancouver Island Birds.

The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is considered a "vulnerable" species by the whole world, but in Canada it is treated as a pest.

Everyone has heard of the Red-winged Blackbird, and many are familiar with the Brewer’s Blackbird, but how many have seen or even heard of a Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)? Not very many I would wager. It’s not surprising because the Rusty is uncommon in the west, and its North American population has declined over 90% in the past 50 years.

The Rusty is the same size as a Brewer’s Blackbird. It is aptly named because of the rusty colouring on its winter plumage. The non-breeding male is black with rusty edges on its feathers. The female is lighter brown with buffy and rusty mottling. Both sexes have yellow eyes. The breeding male is black with an iridescent purple head and chest. It is very similar to the male Brewer’s Blackbird but not as glossy. The breeding female is a dull brown.

The Rusty breeds from the interior of B.C. to the Atlantic coast in the east and to Alaska in the north. During the fall most of the population migrates to the southeast quadrant of the United States. However, it is not uncommon to find the occasional one wintering on Vancouver Island. I would estimate that for every flock of a thousand blackbirds there is one Rusty. There is at least one or two reported in the Victoria region every year, and I bet veteran birders like Art Morgan and Art Martell have seen them in the Comox Valley.

On January 7 I had the pleasure of escorting a deceased Great Horned Owl to the Royal B.C. Museum. The conversation on the way down was quite one-sided as the owl didn’t give a hoot for anything I said. However, I got the last hoot as the trip gave me the opportunity to look for the Rusty that had been reported by Victoria birders at King’s Pond since mid-December. King’s Pond is one of my favorite locations to photograph ducks like Wood Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Lesser Scaups, Ring-neckeds, and Buffleheads. If I couldn’t find the Rusty, I would still enjoy photographing the ducks as well an assortment of winter songbirds like Fox Sparrows, Bewick’s Wrens, Anna’s Hummingbirds, and House Finches. However, Lady Luck was on my side. I didn’t see any blackbirds around the pond, but there were about 12 in the tall trees at the adjacent golf course. I set up my camera and scoped the birds. The first 4 were juvenile Brewer’s, but the 5th was different. I couldn’t see the back, but it had a mottled white and black chest. It had to be the Rusty.

Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) feeding on seed at King's Pond, Victoria, British Columbia.

I waited patiently for 20 minutes, and sure enough, the blackbirds flew down to a tree by the pond. I quickly grabbed a bag of seed from my back pack and spread it on the ground. The blackbirds immediately flew down right in front of me. I had no problem picking out the Rusty. Its rusty-edged feathers stood out like a neon light. I was excited because it was the first Rusty I had ever seen.

The Rusty Blackbird situation in Canada is an absolute joke. 70% of the Rusty population breeds in Canada, and it is internationally acknowledged that the population is threatened. Our national organization for conservation, COSEWIC, has declared the Rusty as a “species of concern.” Meanwhile, our Migratory Bird Act does not recognize or protect the Rusty. Instead, the Rusty is lumped together with blackbirds which are considered as pests and may be indiscriminately killed as a nuisance bird. You figure it out. The whole world (IUCN) recognizes the Rusty as a “vulnerable” species, but in Canada it is still treated as a pest! You bet I’m disgusted, but I can’t say I’m surprised. It’s just another case of Canadian “lip-service” instead of a meaningful process to conserve and protect another piece of our disappearing natural world. For starters, how difficult would it be to get it on the migratory bird list where it belongs?

About the Contributor:

Mike Yip is a Vancouver Island photographer who has published two very successful books on birds and has just released his third. More of his bird images can be found at his website Vancouver Island Birds.