# Anhinga (*Anhinga anhinga*) The Anhinga is a unique bird that loves to swim and dive underwater. It has a long neck and can often be seen drying its wings in the sun after swimming. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 54 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Snake Bird, Water Turkey ![Anhinga](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Anhinga_anhinga_-Costa_Rica-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Tim from Ithaca, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anhinga_anhinga_-Costa_Rica-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Anhinga is a sleek water bird with a long, S-shaped neck and a dagger-like bill. Males are iridescent black with silvery-white streaks on their wings, while females have a brownish head and neck. Its long, fanned tail makes it visually distinct from similar birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Suliformes - **Family:** Anhingidae - **Genus:** Anhinga ## Interesting facts - After diving, they spread their wings to dry like a dark cape in the sun! - Anhingas build their nests in trees over water, protecting their young from predators. - Anhingas have a unique hinge in their neck, allowing them to quickly spear fish! - They often hunt with their eyes open underwater, spotting prey in murky waters. ## Special abilities - **Diving Dynamo:** Anhingas can easily sink and swim underwater because their feathers get soaked, letting them hunt fish efficiently. - **Spear-Billed Hunter:** Anhingas can quickly stab fish with their sharp, pointed bill, catching slippery prey with a swift movement. - **Sun Wing Spreader:** Anhingas have a special way to dry their wings by spreading them wide in the sun, helping them fly again after dives. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 80-100 cm - **Wingspan:** 110-120 cm - **Weight:** 1-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 9-16 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-6 - **Incubation:** 25-30 days ## Diet & Feeding Anhingas are skilled underwater hunters that spear and eat fish and other small aquatic animals. - **Primary Foods:** fish, frogs, tadpoles, aquatic insects, small crustaceans, snakes - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Preys on eggs and young in nests. - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Can snatch eggs or chicks from nests. - **Hunts:** Nile Tilapia (*Oreochromis niloticus*) — A common fish preyed upon by Anhingas. - **Hunts:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Frogs are also a regular part of their diet. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch or feed them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Anhinga? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Anhinga? 80-100 cm ### What is Anhinga's wingspan? 110-120 cm ### How much does Anhinga weigh? 1-1.5 kg ### How long does Anhinga live? 9-16 years ### How fast can Anhinga move? 40 km/h ### What does Anhinga eat? Anhingas are skilled underwater hunters that spear and eat fish and other small aquatic animals. ### Where is Anhinga usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Ashley River Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashley-river-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Broadmoor](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadmoor) — Louisiana, US · Neighborhood - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Columbia Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-canal) — South Carolina, US · Historic Site - [Columbia Historic District I](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-historic-district-i) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/corkscrew-swamp-sanctuary) — Florida, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Anhinga](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/anhinga) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Anhinga: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/anhinga)