Water turkeys, also known as double crested cormorants, do eat fish. In fact, they are primarily fish-eating birds and have a specialized diet that includes various species of fish.
Cormorants are known for their excellent fishing abilities. They have long, slender bodies and webbed feet, which make them well-adapted for swimming and diving underwater in search of fish. Their streamlined shape allows them to move swiftly through the water, while their webbed feet provide propulsion.
When hunting for fish, cormorants will often dive beneath the water’s surface and swim using their feet and wings. They can stay submerged for extended periods, typically around 30 to 60 seconds, but can stay underwater for up to a few minutes if necessary. During this time, they use their sharp, hooked bills to catch fish. Cormorants have serrated bills, which help them grip and hold onto slippery fish.
Once a cormorant catches a fish, it will bring it back to the surface and swallow it whole. They have a flexible esophagus that allows them to swallow fish that are larger than their heads. After swallowing a fish, cormorants will often stand with their wings outstretched to dry their feathers. This is because their feathers are not completely waterproof, which helps them dive underwater more easily but also means they need to dry off after fishing.
The diet of cormorants primarily consists of fish, but they can also eat other aquatic animals such as amphibians, crustaceans, and even small birds. However, fish make up the majority of their diet. They are opportunistic predators and will eat a wide range of fish species, depending on what is available in their habitat. Some common fish species that cormorants consume include small freshwater fish like minnows and perch, as well as larger fish like catfish and trout.
The population of cormorants has seen a significant increase in recent years. This is partly due to conservation efforts and the recovery of their populations after being heavily impacted by pollution and habitat destruction. However, their growing numbers have also led to conflicts with commercial and recreational fishermen who view them as competition for fish resources.
Water turkeys, or cormorants, are fish-eating birds that consume a variety of fish species as their primary food source. Their specialized adaptations for swimming and diving allow them to catch fish underwater, and they have a flexible esophagus that enables them to swallow fish whole. While they may have gained a reputation as “fish terrorists” due to conflicts with human activities, cormorants play an important ecological role as predators in aquatic ecosystems.