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Anhinga /American darter – Anhinga anhinga
Anhinga /American darter – Anhinga anhinga
The Anhinga is an aquatic bird of the family Anhingidae living in the warmer parts of the Americas.
The word “Anhinga” comes from the Tupi language of Brazil which means devil bird or snake bird. It looks like a cormorant with an average body length of 85 cm, weighing 1350 g. It is piscivorous and its plumage is dark. Its neck is very long and it swims neck above water, from where its nickname bird–serpent.
Unlike duck, Anhinga is not able to waterproof its feathers. Therefore, the feathers quickly become saturated with water, making the bird barely able to float, this allows it to dive easily and search for prey under water.
