Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) on palm frond, Tobago Plantations, Tobago
One of the weirdest birds I know. Looks like some kind of prehistoric cormorant. Fish prey are 'stabbed' rather than seized and the bird has to catch and throw them into the air in order to swallow them. Unlike ducks and other water birds, the feathers are not oily: they need to absorb water so that the bird sinks, the better to dive for its fish prey. So, like cormorants, after a fishing expedition the anhinga needs to spread its wings to dry itself. Anhingas are widely distributed in wetlands from the southern United States to Uruguay. There are similar species in Africa, Asia and Australia.
230224 518
Amerikanischer Schlangenhalsvogel
Американская змеешейка
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All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer, who can be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail.
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Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) on palm frond, Tobago Plantations, Tobago
One of the weirdest birds I know. Looks like some kind of prehistoric cormorant. Fish prey are 'stabbed' rather than seized and the bird has to catch and throw them into the air in order to swallow them. Unlike ducks and other water birds, the feathers are not oily: they need to absorb water so that the bird sinks, the better to dive for its fish prey. So, like cormorants, after a fishing expedition the anhinga needs to spread its wings to dry itself. Anhingas are widely distributed in wetlands from the southern United States to Uruguay. There are similar species in Africa, Asia and Australia.
230224 518
Amerikanischer Schlangenhalsvogel
Американская змеешейка
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer, who can be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail.
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