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Lake Martin - Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) - Miami-Dade County, Florida

A female anhinga poses during a rain storm in the everglades.


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©2024 Nature's Spectrum, For consideration only, no reproduction without prior permission.

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I photographed this male (black neck) drying his feathers at the Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida. The 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 is apparent when swimming during which only the neck appears above water, so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. They do not have external nostrils and breathe solely through a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food and water from entering the trachea and the lungs but which stays open during breathing. The anhinga is placed in the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to the Indian, African, and Australian darters. Like other darters, the anhinga hunts by spearing fish and other small prey using its sharp, slender beak while pursuing them underwater. Like Cormorants, Anhingas have no oil on their wings which would increase their buoyancy and thus hamper their pursuit. This lack of oil leads to them periodically having to dry their feathers in the sun and wind. This in turn leads to the common sight (seen here) of anhingas standing on an exposed tree branch or rock with their wings extended to the sun or wind.
The created Wakodahatchee Wetlands feature a three-quarter mile elevated, wood boardwalk with gazebos and benches along the way and which crosses between open water pond areas and islands with shrubs and snags to foster nesting and roosting. This site offers many opportunities to observe birds in their natural habitats, but during this time it is predominantly a home to a couple of hundred wood storks roosting/nesting on snags, with some within easy reach to even the smallest telephoto lenses. In addition to the wood storks, over 178 bird species have been identified there, along with turtles, alligators, rabbits, fish, frogs and raccoons. Of some note are the invasive and photogenic iguanas cohabitating with the storks. Each day, the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department’s Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility pumps approximately two million gallons of 90% treated water into the Wakodahatchee Wetlands. This water, which is free of organic contaminants but still contains excess minerals, is naturally purified by the plants and algae in the wetlands, and then released into the surface water supply.
Additional information on the Anhinga may be found on Wikipedia.
Additional information on the Wakodahatchee Wetlands may be found on Wikipedia.

Details best viewed in Original Size.

I photographed this female (light-brown neck) over the Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida The 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 is apparent when swimming during which only the neck appears above water, so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. They do not have external nostrils and breathe solely through a leaf-shaped flap in the throat that prevents food and water from entering the trachea and the lungs but which stays open during breathing. The anhinga is placed in the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to the Indian, African, and Australian darters. Like other darters, the anhinga hunts by spearing fish and other small prey using its sharp, slender beak while pursuing them underwater. Like Cormorants, Anhingas have no oil on their wings which would increase their buoyancy and thus hamper their pursuit. This lack of oil leads to them periodically having to dry their feathers in the sun and wind. This in turn leads to the common sight of anhingas standing on a exposed tree branch or rock with their wings extended in the sun or wind.
The created Wakodahatchee Wetlands feature a three-quarter mile elevated, wood boardwalk with gazebos and benches along the way and which crosses between open water pond areas and islands with shrubs and snags to foster nesting and roosting. This site offers many opportunities to observe birds in their natural habitats, but during this time it is predominantly a home to a couple of hundred wood storks roosting/nesting on snags, with some within easy reach to even the smallest telephoto lenses. In addition to the wood storks, over 178 bird species have been identified there, along with turtles, alligators, rabbits, fish, frogs and raccoons. Of some note are the invasive and photogenic iguanas cohabitating with the storks. Each day, the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department’s Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility pumps approximately two million gallons of 90% treated water into the Wakodahatchee Wetlands. This water, which is free of organic contaminants but still contains excess minerals, is naturally purified by the plants and algae in the wetlands, and then released into the surface water supply.
Additional information on the Anhinga may be found on Wikipedia.
Additional information on the Wakodahatchee Wetlands may be found on Wikipedia.

AMERICAN DARTER (anhinga) - Composition Saturday

© Erik McGregor - erikrivas@hotmail.com - 917-225-8963

Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)

Ponte Vedra Beach, St Johns, Florida

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge - St Marks, Florida

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park - Wakulla Springs, Florida

Red-eared Slider, White Ibis, Anhinga, at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Unlike many water birds, anhingas spear fish with their sharp bills rather than scooping them up. They swim underwater to hunt, hence their wings are less waterproof to allow for better diving capabilities.

Just a simply shot of one of our resident Anhingas that is merely trying to dry out a bit on one the few old snags left behind by our bayou plunderers. A broader view of the beginning of the entrance to Horsepen Bayou. This is fairly close to where Horsepen Bayou joins with Armand Bayou and becomes Lake Mark Kramer.

Our Anhinga population is not the most cooperative of species and the tend not to hang around for photo opps. Anhinga…aka Water Turkey, Snake Bird, Darter, American Darter, and Devil Bird.


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ANHINGA (the name comes from brazilian tupi language meaning "devil bird" or "snake bird") - Composition Saturday

© Erik McGregor - erikrivas@hotmail.com - 917-225-8963

Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) - Miami-Dade County, Florida

A male anhinga endures a rainy day in the everglades.

©2024 Nature's Spectrum, For consideration only, no reproduction without prior permission.

The anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), is sometimes called a "snake bird," because when swimming only the neck appears above water, so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike.

Photographed the Anhinga drying it's feather on a dead tree trunk in the Banana Creek Marsh alongside the Alligator Alley trail located in the Circle B Bar Reserve in the City of Lakeland in Polk County Florida U.S.A.

Anhingas are large and slender waterbirds with long fan like tails that resemble a turkey's tail. They have a long S-shaped neck and a dagger like bill. In flight, Anhingas look like a flying cross; the wings are held out flat and the neck and tail stick straight out. They have slim bodies and look rather flattened in flight.

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Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) on a palm tree trunk leaning over the Myakka river.