It is found near rivers and lakes and in coastal areas and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico.

[4] Its scientific genus name is derived from the Greek words νᾶνος  : nános, "small" and πτερόν : pterón, "wing".

It migrates from the coldest parts of its breeding range, such as eastern Canada, and has occurred in Europe as a very rare vagrant, for example in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Azores.

It is resident on Pacific Coast from Aleutian Islands south to Nayarit, Mexico (but excluding parts of British Columbia and the Southern California Bight) and inland to the Colorado River, resident on Atlantic Coast in Long Island and surrounding areas, southern New England, Florida, Cuba, and Yucatán Peninsula.

On the Pacific Coast, range includes all areas previously mentioned to be resident, along with British Columbia and the Southern California Bight.

After diving, it spends long periods standing with its wings outstretched to allow them to dry, since they are not fully waterproofed.

This species flies low over the water, with its bill tilted slightly upward, sometimes leaving the colony in long, single-file lines.

Double-crested cormorants are also considered pests to aquaculturists because of their intense predation on fish ponds which can cause thousands of dollars in losses to farmers.

In 1894, Thomas McIlwraith in his book, Birds of Ontario, concludes his section on double-crested cormorants by saying: "When the young are sufficiently grown, they gather into immense flocks in unfrequented sections, and remain until the ice-lid has closed over their food supply, when they go away, not to return till the cover is lifted up in the spring."

Double-crested cormorants eat other species of fish besides alewives and have been suspected of contributing to the decline of some sport-fish populations in the Great Lakes and other areas.

This includes culling of populations and measures to thwart reproduction, in an effort to control their growing numbers.

Fish and Wildlife Service retains oversight and the control measures are not extended to the general public (no hunting season).

[15] This is an attempt to keep the small island in balance and preserve its vegetation[16] but opponents to the plan have argued that it is based on faulty information, provided in part by anglers who view cormorants as competitors.