From Opus

Alternative name: Snakebird

Photo by wim de groot
Gambia

Anhinga rufa

[edit] Identification

An 80 cm tall cormorant-like species with a very long neck. It has a thin white lateral neck stripe against a rufous background colour. The male is mainly glossy black with white streaking, but females and immature birds are browner, the white stripe is fainter or completely absent.

[edit] Similar Species

Similar to Oriental Darter.

[edit] Distribution

Southern half of Africa and Madagascar.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• A. m. rufa (African):

• Africa south of the Sahara and Middle East

• A. m. vulsini:

• Madagascar

Has been considered conspecific with Oriental Darter and Australasian Darter.

[edit] Habitat

It occurs in both saline and fresh water, especially near mangroves.

[edit] Behaviour

Often swims with only the neck above water.

[edit] Diet

They spear their prey (mainly fish but also other aquatic animals e.g. snakes, frogs, crustaceans etc.) underwater as they swim along.

[edit] Breeding

This species builds a stick nest in a tree and lays 3-6 eggs. It often nests with herons, egrets and cormorants.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Birdsinbackyards

• List of references

[edit] External Links