Anhinga

For the bird genus Anhinga, see Darter.

Anhinga
Temporal range: Pleistocene–present
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Male in Costa Rica

Secure  (NatureServe)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family: Anhingidae
Genus: Anhinga
Species:
A. anhinga
Binomial name
Anhinga anhinga
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Subspecies

A. a. anhinga
A. a. leucogaster

Range of A. anhinga
  Breeding range
  Resident range
Synonyms

Plotus anhinga Linnaeus, 1766

Female anhinga in Florida
Female anhinga in Florida

The anhinga (/ænˈhɪŋɡə/; Anhinga anhinga), sometimes called snakebird, darter, American darter, or water turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word anhinga comes from a'ñinga in the Brazilian Tupi language and means "devil bird" or "snake bird".[3] The origin of the name is apparent when swimming: only the neck appears above water, so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. They do not have external nares (nostrils) and breathe solely through their epiglottis.

The anhinga is placed in the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to Indian (Anhinga melanogaster), African (Anhinga rufa), and Australian (Anhinga novaehollandiae) darters. Like other darters, the anhinga hunts by spearing fish and other small prey using its sharp, slender beak.

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Anhinga anhinga". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22696702A93581588. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696702A93581588.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Anhinga anhinga". NatureServe Explorer. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  3. ^ Ferreira, A. B. H. (1986). Novo Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa. Second edition. Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira. p. 123.