American Darter

by Gary Keesler

Title

American Darter

Artist

Gary Keesler

Medium

Photograph - Digital Art Photography

Description

American Darter (Anhinga anhinga), every so often referred to as Snakebird, Darter, American Darter, or The Anhinga, 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. It is a cormorant-like bird with an average body length of 85 cm (33 in), a wingspan of 117 cm (46 in), and a mass of up to 1.35 kg (3.0 lb).

Anhingas and cormorants are exceedingly similar as regards their body and leg skeletons.

But unlike the cormorants, anhingas normally inhabit fresh water lakes, rivers, marshes, swamps, and are less frequently found close to salt water.

Anhingas have a more pointed bill than cormorants which makes it possible for them to spear fish.

They have completely webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body.

The males boast black and dark brown plumage, a short erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female.

The females have a much paler plumage, and are a bit larger overall.

It is a dark-plumaged piscivore with a extraordinarily long neck, and often swims with only the neck above water.

While swimming in this style the name Snakebird is obvious, since only the colored neck appears above water the bird looks like a snake ready to strike.

They do not retain external nares (nostrils) and breathe only through their epiglottis.

Not like ducks, the Anhinga is not able to watertight its feathers using oil produced by the uropygial gland.

Consequently, feathers can become waterlogged, making the bird barely buoyant.

Then again, this enables it to dive with no trouble and search for underwater prey, such as fish and amphibians.

It can stay down for significant periods.

When needed, the Anhinga will dry out its wings and feathers, with the resemblance of the semicircular full-spread shape of its group of tail feathers while drying them out, to that of true meleagrine males lending the name "water turkey" to it.

It will perch for long durations with its wings spread to allow the drying course of action, as do cormorants.

If it tries to take flight while its wings are soaked, it has great trouble getting off the water and takes off by flapping vigorously at the same time as "running" on the water.

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Image photo(s) captured in the wild caused no harm or disturbance to their natural habitats.

All species observed enjoy living free in the wild.

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Uploaded

August 31st, 2013

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