3Point141
ANHINGA #7
Because of extremely poor production of oils from the preen gland, Anhinga’s feathers are not waterproofed with oils like most other water birds. Their plumage is ‘wettable’ but not ‘water-repellant’ and therefore can become waterlogged making them hardly bouyant .
Fortunately for the Anhinga, this works as an advantage. Not only can they dive deeper in the water chasing prey but can also stay longer swimming under water.
The only problem is that they have to dry their wings to get rid of all the moisture before the next dive.
The Spread-Wing posture, as seen here, might be intended also for ‘Thermo-regulation’. In that case, the Anhinga soaks up the sun’s rays to supplement its chronically low metabolic heat generation, and at the same time offsets partly its dangerously high rate of heat loss from convection and evaporation from wet plumage.
An Anhinga in the classic “Spread-Wing” posture, drying the stretched wings with its back to the sun.
Anhinga anhinga ‘leucogaster’ / Family Anhingidae
Rockledge, Florida, USA.
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Identification Info for North American Birds;
www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/infocenter.html
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ALL MY IMAGES OF ANHINGA;
www.flickr.com/photos/3point141/sets/72157626045503191/de...
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ANHINGA #7
Because of extremely poor production of oils from the preen gland, Anhinga’s feathers are not waterproofed with oils like most other water birds. Their plumage is ‘wettable’ but not ‘water-repellant’ and therefore can become waterlogged making them hardly bouyant .
Fortunately for the Anhinga, this works as an advantage. Not only can they dive deeper in the water chasing prey but can also stay longer swimming under water.
The only problem is that they have to dry their wings to get rid of all the moisture before the next dive.
The Spread-Wing posture, as seen here, might be intended also for ‘Thermo-regulation’. In that case, the Anhinga soaks up the sun’s rays to supplement its chronically low metabolic heat generation, and at the same time offsets partly its dangerously high rate of heat loss from convection and evaporation from wet plumage.
An Anhinga in the classic “Spread-Wing” posture, drying the stretched wings with its back to the sun.
Anhinga anhinga ‘leucogaster’ / Family Anhingidae
Rockledge, Florida, USA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Identification Info for North American Birds;
www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/infocenter.html
==============================================================================
ALL MY IMAGES OF ANHINGA;
www.flickr.com/photos/3point141/sets/72157626045503191/de...
==============================================================================