Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)
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Anhinga

Anhinga anhinga (Linnaeus, 1766)

1.2 kgWeight

The anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), sometimes called darter, American darter, snakebird, or water turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas.

Busiest months: January–March · Most records: United States, Costa Rica, Brazil

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Anhinga has been recorded at 772 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 27 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sweetwater Wetlands ParkUnited States15,633 records
  2. Audubon Corkscrew Swamp SanctuaryUnited States14,735 records
  3. Merritt Island NWR – Black Point Wildlife DriveUnited States14,206 records
More places
  1. The Celery FieldsUnited States13,775 records
  2. Lake Apopka Wildlife DriveUnited States13,078 records
  3. Green Cay Wetlands & Nature CenterUnited States12,919 records
  4. Estero Llano Grande SP WBCUnited States12,340 records
  5. Wakodahatchee WetlandsUnited States10,163 records
  6. Orlando WetlandsUnited States9,275 records
  7. Six Mile Cypress Slough PreserveUnited States8,113 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCosta RicaBrazilMexicoBelizePanamaEcuadorArgentina

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), sometimes called darter, American darter, snakebird, or water turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word anhinga comes from a'ñinga in the Brazilian Tupi language and means "devil bird" or "snake bird". The origin of the name is apparent when swimming: only the neck appears above water, so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Anhinga?

The Anhinga weighs around 1.2 kg.

Where does the Anhinga live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America, South America: south-central, southeastern USA and west-central Mexico to northern Argentina, Cuba and Cayman Islands. It is most often recorded in United States, Costa Rica and Brazil.

When is the best time to see the Anhinga?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Anhinga endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Anhinga as Least Concern.

What does the Anhinga eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Anhinga in?

It belongs to the family Anhingas, Darters (Anhingidae), order Suliformes.

At a glance

Weight
1.2 kg
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
On the water surface
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
340 mm
Tail
267 mm
Bill
86 mm
Tarsus
39 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, Middle America, South America: south-central, southeastern USA and west-central Mexico to northern Argentina, Cuba and Cayman Islands

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Anhingas, Darters Anhingidae
Genus
Anhinga

Other birds in the genus Anhinga

Australasian DarterAustralasian DarterAnhinga novaehollandiaeOriental DarterOriental DarterAnhinga melanogasterAfrican DarterAfrican DarterAnhinga rufa
Anhinga

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