The Anhinga has a dramatic appearance. It is a water bird that stands about three feet tall. It has a long thin neck and a long pointed yellow bill. The male Anhinga is black with white wing markings. The female is black with a light brown neck and breast.
A male Anhinga dries off after a swim
This pose is used by the Anhinga and by a similar bird, the Cormorant. The Anhinga's feathers do not repel water like the feathers of a duck. Because of this, the Anhinga must make an effort to dry its feathers after it leaves the water. It spreads its wings wide and holds them in that position for a prolonged period of time. The Cormorant does this too, so these two birds are often mistaken for each other. If you are not sure if you are observing an Anhinga or a Cormorant, look closely at the neck and bill. The Anhinga's neck is long and thin. Its bill is long and ends in a sharp point. The Cormorant has a thicker neck and a shorter, hooked bill. The Anhinga also has a longer, fanned tail.
The Female Anhinga has a light brown neck and breast
The Snake Bird
The Anhinga is sometimes called a "snake bird" because when it swims with its body submerged and its head and neck above water, it looks like a slippery wet snake. This bird has an unusual method of fishing. It completely submerges, often for a minute or more. Then it reappears with a fish impaled on its bill. It flips the fish, eats it, then dives again. The Anhinga has webbed feet, but it is capable of grasping a branch or narrow ledge to perch.
The Anhinga is nicknamed the "snake bird."
The photos on this page were taken in
Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs, Florida
All photos on this website by J.A. Heintz
All written material by D.C. Heintz
Copyright 2010 D.C. Heintz. All rights reserved.
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