Ålakråkorna på Mölleskär

A colony of cormorants lives on the southern headland of Mölleskär.

Cormorants are not a very popular bird, partly because they are excellent at fishing and can be seen as competition, but also because of the appearance of their colonies after a while. The ground is covered with droppings which burn away plant life and change the appearance of the location. In many ways cormorants have been made the scapegoats for a development for which in fact they are only little to blame, or of which they are a symptom. If cormorants abandon a colony, the site starts to grow again after a while, in a completely different way from before, because all the droppings have added nutrients.

Unlike other seabirds, cormorants have an outer layer of feathers that is not waterproof, which makes them heavier in the water, making diving easier. This is why cormorants are often seen in the characteristic pose, standing with wings outstretched to dry in the wind. (Source: Wikipedia)