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Anhinga? - southeast texas (1 Viewer)

howell7079

howell7079

Well-known member
I saw this bird on a tree in the middle of a lake this morning. It looks like an anhinga but it has red on it's feathers and all the pictures I can find have silver on their feathers. I read a few articles online about them and there is no mention of red feathers. Any help would be appreciated.

Lyndon
 

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howell7079 said:
I saw this bird on a tree in the middle of a lake this morning. It looks like an anhinga but it has red on it's feathers and all the pictures I can find have silver on their feathersIt looks like an anhinga but it has red on it's feathers and all the pictures I can find have silver on their feathers. I read a few articles online about them and there is no mention of red feathers. Any help would be appreciated.
Lyndon
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I'd say it is an Anhinga. It just looks exactly like one to me and I see them just about every day. It has the long tail, silverish on back of wings, pointed bill, etc. I don't see the red myself--could it have been a reflection?
 
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Here is another picture. It has red streaks on it's head and neck and red on the end of it's tail and on the top of it's wings. It looked the same way when we were watching with binoculars.
 

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Definitely an Anhinga. Long broad tail, long thin pointed bill, webbed feet and perched on a thin branch normally reserved for birds like Goldfinches. No other American bird is put together quite like that.
 
howell7079 said:
Here is another picture. It has red streaks on it's head and neck and red on the end of it's tail and on the top of it's wings. It looked the same way when we were watching with binoculars.
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My guess is that your Anhinga actually has whitish plumes or feathers on its head or neck, silvery-white feathers at the top of its wings, and a light buff or white tipped tail and something red is reflecting off of these areas making them appear reddish. I'll attach a photo showing a bird with a similar type of coloration without reddish reflection (or I don't think so anyway).
 

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The red could well be staining from the particular habitiat it is in, looks a bit like some type of iron deposit or similar
 
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