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Cormorant

The cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) lives mainly in coastal areas but an increasing number are found inland.

They have a wingspan of 130–160 cm, dark feathers and a long, thin, hooked bill. Their feet are webbed to help them swim. During the breeding season adults acquire a square, white patch on their thigh to attract a mate.

Cormorants eat fish which they catch by diving. After fishing they dry their wings by holding them out into the sun to dry.

They nest in colonies around shores or in trees, and are monogamous. The male chooses a nest site and then advertises for a female by showing off the coloured skin on his forehead.

In the Greek tale of Ulysses, after a storm broke the mast of Ulysses’ raft, a sea nymph disguised herself as a cormorant and handed Ulysses a girdle to keep him afloat while he swam to shore.

Dace

The common dace (Leuciscus leuciscus) is a freshwater and brackish-water fish native to Europe.

Dace tend to appear in the lower reaches of the river. They have a yellowish iris and a body covered in large silver scales. Their lifespan is 6–12 years, and they can grow to 25–30 cm long, weighing 500–700 grams.

Dace tend to gather in shoals of adults near to where the river meets the sea, although some remain upstream. During the spawning season in March/April they migrate upstream to lay their eggs on the gravel bed of the river. After hatching, the fish hide among the ground debris and the vegetation along the sides of the river. Once they mature they move into faster-flowing water and head downstream.

Dace feed on small molluscs from the river bed, and flies that land on the water. They don’t like the sun so often gather in the shade.

Minnow

The common minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) is present in most fresh water, predominantly in cooler streams (15–20°C) and well oxygenated lakes or ponds.

The minnow is a small fish. It can reach a length of 14 cm, but is normally around half that, so that when picked up it would fit in the palm of a hand. The common minnow has a sandy-coloured under belly and a dark green back with black splotches.

As soon as they become capable of swimming, minnows form shoals. This makes it harder for predators and increases foraging. The fish try as much as possible to stay in the middle of the shoal to be out of danger, and so it is constantly moving.

In Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher the main character, a frog, says he is going fishing and if he catches more than five minnows he will invite his friends round for tea.

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