Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga
Unlike most waterbirds, Anhingas lack waterproof oils; this allows them to sink deeper for hunting but forces them to air-dry their wings to fly.
- Scientific name
- Anhinga anhinga
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Suliformes › Anhingidae › Anhinga
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Cypress swamps, marshes, lakes, and slow-moving rivers.
- Diet
- Small fish, crayfish, and aquatic invertebrates.
- Range
- Southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, South America
- Size
- 35-inch length, 45-inch wingspan
- Lifespan
- 12-15 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss, mercury pollution, and entanglement in discarded fishing lines.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans but defensive if cornered. Maintain a distance of at least 20 feet to avoid disturbing their essential sun-drying process. If found injured, contact a wildlife rehabilitator; be cautious of the sharp, spear-like beak.
The anhinga (/ænˈhɪŋɡə/; Anhinga anhinga ), sometimes called snakebird , darter , American darter , or water turkey , is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word anhinga comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird. The origin of the name snakebird is apparent when swimming : only the colored neck appears above water so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. They do not have external nares (nostrils) and...
Photo: Shiva Shenoy, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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