There were three species of cormorant on the pier in front of the sulfur piles in Vancouver Harbor. This is the smallest of the three we have here on the west coast and named for the fact that it is rarely ever found in fresh water. The Pelagic cormorant can be found here year round. It loves to fish among the rocks making dives of up to 140 feet. In the breeding season, these birds are easy to tell as they have white thighs that are quite visible as they fly by.