What kind of bird looks like a snake in the water?

The bird that looks like a snake in the water is known as the anhinga. Anhingas are medium-sized water birds with long, snake-like necks and pointed beaks. When swimming, only their neck and head are visible above the water, giving them a serpentine appearance.

Anhingas belong to the Anhingidae family of birds, which contains four living species in one genus, Anhinga. They are commonly called darters due to their fishing style of spearing fish underwater. Some key facts about anhingas:

• They live in warm, tropical areas near water in the Americas and Africa.
• They have slender bodies, long necks, dagger-like beaks, and sharp claws on their feet.
• Their feathers are not waterproof, so they need to dry them frequently by spreading their wings in the sun.
• They swim with only their neck exposed, resembling a snake.
• They stab fish underwater with their beak and bring them back up to swallow.

In this article, we’ll explore the anhinga’s snake-like appearance, fishing and swimming behaviors, physical adaptations, and habitat. Understanding what makes this unique water bird resemble a swimming serpent helps appreciate its specialized design.

Snake-Like Appearance

When anhingas swim, they submerge almost their entire body underwater, exposing just their long, thin neck and small head above the surface. Their black, streamlined feathers and graceful undulating neck make them look remarkably snake-like as they cruise along.

Several factors give anhingas this distinctive serpentine profile in the water:

• Long, thin neck – Their neck makes up about a third of their total body length.
• Pointed head – Their small head tapers to a sharp, dagger-like beak.
• Low profile – Only the upper neck and head remain above water when swimming.
• Sinuous motion – They swim with an S-shaped, side-to-side undulation of their flexible neck.
• Dark coloration – Their blackish feathers blend into dark water, emphasizing the snake-like shape.

When anhinga young hatch, they also look remarkably snake-like with their disproportionately long necks and beaks. This appearance likely helped give rise to their serpentine nickname of “water turkey” in the southeastern United States.

Fishing Adaptations

Anhingas have several key adaptations that aid their distinctive underwater fishing strategy:

• Spear-like beak – Their thin, pointed beak is very sharp and rigid, perfect for spearing and holding onto slippery fish.
• Long neck – Their flexible neck allows them to strike rapidly at fish with their beak.
• Stealthy swimming – Their streamlined body and soft feathers let them swim quietly underwater.
• Keen eyesight – They have excellent vision for detecting fish movement underwater.
• Skewer-like claws – Their toes have straight, sharp claws for grasping and holding fish.

Anhingas use these adaptations to swim stealthily underwater, spear fish with their beak, and bring them back up to the surface. They then toss the fish in the air to reposition for swallowing head-first.

Unique Swimming Style

Anhingas have an unusual swimming style due to their densely packed, non-waterproof feathers. Unlike most water birds, anhingas feathers absorb water readily. This means they have to expend more energy swimming and drying out. However, it also allows them to dive and swim completely submerged like cormorants.

Key aspects of their distinctive swimming style include:

• Swimming submerged – They swim with their entire body under water, only exposing their neck and head.
• Undulating motion – They propel themselves with a smooth, serpentine motion of their flexible neck.
• Frequent drying – They often perch with wings outstretched to dry after swimming and diving.
• Body tilted up – They swim with their tail tilted up and bill angled down to keep more of their body submerged.
• No oily coat – Lacking waterproofing oil like ducks, they rely on wettable feathers.

This unique style lets anhingas swim and hunt like aquatic reptiles. But it requires balancing time underwater with drying their feathers. Their appearance swimming is misleading – they are water birds, not water snakes!

Physical Adaptations

In addition to their fishing and swimming adaptations, anhingas have several other physical features that aid their waterborne lifestyle:

• Dense, wettable feathers – As mentioned, their feathers readily absorb water, becoming waterlogged and allowing underwater swimming.
• Large feet – Their large webbed feet with wide lobes on the toes provide propulsion and help them walk on aquatic vegetation.
• Short legs – Their legs are set far back on the body to optimize swimming rather than walking. Their legs are short but very powerful.
• Compact body – They have a streamlined, compact shape that reduces drag underwater.
• Long tail – The long tail feathers help provide thrust when swimming.

Anhingas share some similarities with cormorants in these adaptations for an aquatic life. However, anhingas are more tropical and have even longer neck and tail feathers optimized for swimming and diving.

Habitat

Anhingas live in freshwater and brackish wetland habitats in tropical, subtropical, and temperate zones. Though found on most continents, their range is limited to regions generally south of 30° latitude with warm climates year-round.

Some details about anhinga habitats:

• Swamps & marshes – Shallow, quiet waters with trees for perching/drying.
• Lakes & rivers – Sheltered bays, inlets, lagoons, and sloughs.
• Reservoirs & ponds – Areas rich in fish.
• Coastal lagoons – Protected from waves and saltwater.
• Nests in trees/bushes – Nearby their fishing waters.

Within these habitats, anhingas require areas with calm waters so they can see and catch fish, and trees/bushes on which to dry their wings and nest. Their range is limited by their need for ice-free waters year round.

Range and Population

There are four living species of anhingas found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world:

The anhinga has the widest range, being found from the southern United States through Central and South America. Populations appear to be stable or even increasing as the species adapts to man-made reservoirs and lakes.

In contrast, the Oriental and African darters face habitat loss and have declining populations. Australasian darters are still common within their more limited range in Australia, New Guinea and neighboring islands.

Behavior and Diet

Anhingas exhibit some interesting behaviors and feeding patterns:

• Dive from surface to catch fish underwater with spearing strikes.
• May also stalk fish slowly underwater, stalking prey like a snake.
• Swallow fish whole underwater or toss into the air to swallow head first.
• Males court females with snakelike head, neck and bill motions.
• Build large stick nests high in trees near water.
• Feed mostly on fish but sometimes amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.
• Require very clear water to hunt fish effectively by sight.

Anhingas have a very narrow diet, consuming almost entirely fish. They require abundant small fish such as sunfish, shad, and perch. Their serpentine movements and spear-fishing behavior are marvelously adapted for catching their preferred prey.

Threats and Conservation

Anhingas face a number of threats to their specialized aquatic habitat and way of life:

• Wetland drainage and degradation
• Drought and water level changes
• Pollution and siltation which reduce water clarity
• Disturbance of nesting colonies
• Overfishing of food sources by humans
• Climate change affecting water availability

Conservation priorities for anhingas include:

• Protecting wetlands from destruction and pollution.
• Managing water levels and flow at nesting sites.
• Preventing disturbances during breeding season.
• Restricting fishing/boating near colonies.
• Reducing pesticide use to maintain fish populations.
• Monitoring populations and habitat quality over time.

Anhingas serve as an indicator species due to their reliance on healthy, biodiverse wetlands and abundance of fish. By conserving these snake-like birds and their habitat, many other aquatic species will benefit as well.

Conclusion

With their snakelike swimming profile, anhingas are uniquely adapted birds that have fascinated people for ages. While seemingly reptilian in the water, they are specially designed for spearing fish and living an aquatic lifestyle. However, habitat loss threatens these iconic wetland birds. Protecting their nesting and foraging habitat will allow people to continue enjoying the spectacle of these “water turkeys” snaking across the water’s surface in search of fish.