Anhinga Facts Looking for fun and interesting facts about an Anhinga? Learn about this amazing bird and discover other animals from tiny insects to giant mammals! https://unsplash.com/photos/6CoBGsFoxiQ (Anhinga facts are very fascinating. ) Anhinga Fact File What do they prey on? Fishes, aquatic crustaceans, insects What do they eat? Carnivore Average litter size? 2-6 eggs How much do they weigh? 2.97 pounds (1350gm) How long are they? 85 cm - 90 cm (33.46 - 40 in) How tall are they? N/A Where you’ll find them Freshwater swamps, ponds Locations North Carolina, Texas, Missouri What do they look like? Male - Greenish- black Female - Brown Skin Type Feathers, plumage What are the main threats? Loss of Habitat What is their conservation status? Least Concern Kingdom Animalia Class Aves Family Anhingidae Genus Anhinga Scientific Name Anhinga anhinga How colorful are they? 2 How rare are they? 1 How loud are they? 2 Anhinga is an aquatic bird of North America and is native to Florida. Their habitat consists of coastal areas in places like South America, especially South Carolina. They have long, curved necks, which is how one of their nicknames, "snake bird," came about. It is also known as "darter" and "water turkey" in different parts of the country. This bird can sometimes be seen on the surface of the water stretching out its long beaks. It stays on the surface of the water to cool off. They can also stay underwater for almost a minute. This bird is monogamous in nature and its breeding season occurs throughout the year. Although they are rather reclusive and solitary creatures, these birds can sometimes be found in groups of two to three. An Anhinga hunts and kills its meal, i.e. the fish with its long pointed bill. Anhinga Interesting Facts What type of animal is an Anhinga? An Anhinga is a type of bird. What class of animal does an Anhinga belong to? An Anhinga belongs to the class of Birds. How many Anhingas are there in the world? There are no population figures for anhingas, but the range is extremely wide Where does an Anhinga live? Marshes, lakes, mangrove swamps, lagoon, and shallow coastal bays are among the coastal aquatic and freshwater areas where Anhinga prefers to live. This bird always chooses treecovered islands or coasts as their habitat. These birds of North America will track slow-moving prey, seeking shelter from danger in the water, as well as perching and sunning themselves in the treetops. What is an Anhinga's habitat? Anhinga's habitat is freshwater swamps and ponds. It has its northernmost range in the United States, from Texas to North Carolina. However, this bird has also been spotted further north in places like Wisconsin. Panama, Central America, Mexico, and Cuba are also included in its range. Individuals from the northern parts of the United States migrate in March and April, staying until October, and then returning to South America and Mexico. These birds have a long-range stretching from Ecuador to Columbia, Argentina to the east of the Andes, and Tobago and Trinidad. Who do Anhingas live with? Although anhingas are solitary, these birds have been seen in groups of their own. Even though they nest in small loose groups, they are rarely seen with other birds at other times of the year. How long does an Anhinga live? An Anhinga has a maximum lifespan of about 16.4 years in the wild. How do they reproduce? Anhingas are monogamous and can re-use their nests. Breeding season occurs throughout the year for these North American birds. The breeding can be instigated due to the wet or dry season. Soaring and gliding are used by the male to begin courtship, accompanied by the marking of a potential nest with twigs. He then engages in a series of behavioral displays to entice the female. The male collects materials for nesting and the female constructs a platform nest normally in open areas in the tops of trees or on a branch overhanging on the water. The male anhinga can get territorial of its nest. If any other males come near it, the male will snap its beak, spread its wings to shoo them off. Till there is a clutch of 2-6 eggs, the female lays one egg every one to three days. The eggs are incubated for 25-30 days by both parents. Initially, the parents feed the chicks by dripping fluid and partially digested fish content down their throats. To get the fish, the chicks push their heads down the parents' throat as they get older. They stay with their parents till they are independent which happens several weeks after their birth. What is their conservation status? According to International Union for Conservation of Nature, the conservation status of Anhinga stands at Least Concern. Anhingas are plentiful in the Americas so they are not endangered. However, their marine ecosystems are endangered. The pesticide DDT was discovered to have an impact on these birds' reproductive success, and its prohibition in North America has helped certain birds that breed in the southern United States. Anhinga Fun Facts What do Anhingas look like? https://pixabay.com/photos/anhinga-snakebird-darter-966527/ (Anhinga bird facts are very interesting. ) The Anhinga's tiny head appears to be nothing more than an extension of its long neck. Its hunting ability is aided by its long, sharp, pointed bill. It has long wings that allow it to soar, and webbed feet that allow it to swim. The physical structure of the legs, on the other hand, is better suited for crawling out of the water and scaling bushes and trees. The long tail is responsible for lift, steering, braking, and balance. A fun fact, they are known to not have waterproof feathers. Males have greenish-black plumage and silver-grey feathers on the wings and upper back. The wings also have long white feathers. They have black crests as well. Females have brown bodies and feathers with a light brown head and body, while juveniles are all brown. How cute are they? Anhinga birds are considered cute by some due to their long necks, vast wings, and colorful plumage, especially the males. How do they communicate? Rattles, clicks, grunts, and croaks are among the vocalizations of these normally silent birds. Anhingas usually make their calls when they are near their nest, but they often make them while perching or flying. When they are flightless due to molting, they are generally quiet and elusive. How big is an Anhinga? The Anhinga has a tiny snake-like body with a length of 33.46 inches ( 85cm). How fast can an Anhinga fly? The Anhinga has an average speed during flight. How much does an Anhinga weigh? An Anhinga weighs around 2.97 pounds ( 1350gm). What are their male and female names of the species? There is no specific name for the male and female Anhinga. What would you call a baby Anhinga? A baby anhinga is called an Anhinga chick. What do they eat? The primary meal of Anhinga consists of fish. But apart from that, these North American birds can also survive on aquatic crustaceans and insects. They are successful aquatic hunters, depending on their sharp bill and long neck to capture prey despite not being fast at swimming. They hunt for slower-moving fish, fight them underwater before striking with their extended necks and spearing their prey with their beaks. (Please include a link to the predator using its name as an anchor text) Are they dangerous? While Anhinga's behavior is not dangerous, they tend to get aggressive with their kind at times. Both the male and female display the same behavior when they get territorial regarding their nests, showing aggressive behavior to shoo away intruders. Would they make a good pet? Anhingas are not suitable as pets. They are marine birds that spend most of their time swimming and catching fish in the sea. As a result, keeping one as a pet will be impractical. Did you know... Anhinga does not have waterproof feathers. Unlike other marine birds, they do not any oil sac to oil their feathers to prevent them from getting wet. All of their body feathers become wet as they come into contact with water, making it easier for them to dive into the water. However, this feature reduces their buoyancy, causes them to lose heat easily, and makes it unsuitable for flight. They often spread their wings to absorb heat from the sunlight to dry off their feathers. Do Anhingas mate for life? Anhingas do mate for life. They are monogamous, breeding with only one partner. They form bonds that can last their entire lifespan. Anhinga vs. Cormorant Despite their resemblance to cormorants, anhingas differ in several ways. Cormorants can hunt faster-swimming fish because they are stronger swimmers, while anhingas hunt slow-moving fish as they are very slow swimmers. Anhingas can fly, but they must take a gliding flight from trees to take off, unlike cormorants, who cannot ascend and can simply take flight from the sea. Because of their low metabolic rate, anhingas are more constrained by temperature. Cormorants live in cooler parts of North America and can sustain elevated body temperatures. Besides, anhingas glide and flap, while cormorants can only flap continuously. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including [sea eagle], or [green heron]. You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our [Boho Birds] coloring pages.
