Reptilian Eye: Close to a Cormorant

Close-up of a cormorant in the Everglades, Florida.

I’ve taken many photos of cormorants and one thing that always strikes me is the reptilian look of their eyes. Leave aside the turquoise, blue-green, or aquamarine irises of the Double-crested Cormorant (other species have red and orange hues) and focus on the textured tissue around the eye. Doesn’t it look reptilian? Birds and reptiles share common ancestry. The ancient Natovenator and the Piscator tenuirostris had similar features to modern cormorants. Other dinosaur-like feature of cormorants is the hooked bill. It reminds predatory features seen in some extinct reptiles as an adaption for catching and holding slippery prey. The oldest known species related to modern birds are in the gansus genus. Always learning from my photos.