African Darter - Anhinga rufa

African Darter

Anhinga rufa

Order : Pelecaniformes

Family : Anhingidae ;

5 autres fiches de cette famille.
English version
Anhinga
Australian Darter
French version
African Darter
Anhinga
Australian Darter

Biometrics :

Size : 81 à 97 cm
Wingspan : 115 à 128 cm
Weight : 1050 à 1350 gr

Longevity : 16 years

IUCN conservation status :

Extinct

Threatened

Least
concern

Extinc
in the Wild

Near
threatened

Not
evaluated

EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

Geographic range :

Synonyms : Afrikansk ormhalsfagel (sv), Anhinga Africana (es), Aninga africana (it), Schlangenhalsvogel (al), Afrikaanse Slangenhalsvogel (nl), African Darter (en)

Physical description :
African Darter male has crown and back of the neck black and chestnut. Rest of the neck is chestnut, with conspicuous white stripe from the sides of the face to mid-neck. Its plumage is glossy black, streaked with white and silver on wings and mantle, and prominently on elongated black scapulars' feathers. It has long black tail, held fanned when resting. Legs and webbed feet are brown.
Eyes are golden. Long sharp pointed bill is horn-brown. Chin and throat are whitish. Male has generally larger bill than female.
Female and immature are paler than male, mostly buffish-brown. Female has brown crown and upper neck. She has less distinct white stripe on the neck sides.
Chicks are covered with white down.
Anhinga Darter is also named 'snake bird', because it swims very low, with only head and neck above water.

Voice : Anhinga Darter is mainly silent, but at nest, it utters a harsh croak.

Habitat : Anhinga Darter lives in fresh and brackish waters, fringed with vegetation, especially near mangroves.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Anhinga Darter lives in Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East. It performs local migrations according to the rainfall.

Behaviour : Anhinga Darter is often seen perched on bare branches or stumps above water. If alarmed, it drops vertically into the water. It needs to dry its plumage after fishing with wings outstretched.
Anhinga Darter dives for long periods, to search for aquatic preys. It swims with body under water, allowing ambushing prey items. It propels itself with webbed feet. It spears the fish in flank, and brings it to the surface, where it tosses it into the air, catches it with the bill and swallows it head first.
Anhinga Darter nests and roosts with other species, such as Egrets, Herons and Cormorants.
Anhinga Darter seems to be seasonally monogamous. Courtship displays may include wing waving, snap bowing or twig grasping and also sky-pointing, neck waving or bowing, and wings lifting. Copulation occurs at nest site.
Anhinga Darters are highly territorial. They may gather in flocks of up to 100 birds, and some interactions are common among males.

Flight : Anhinga Darter flies with long tail slightly fanned and neck partially held forwards. It performs wing beats and short glides, and frequently, it soars high in the sky, often above its colony.

Reproduction-nesting : Anhinga Darter nests in mixed colonies. Breeding season is prolonged and variable, according to rain fall. Nest is located in trees, reeds or bushes, over water. It is made with sticks and reeds, and lined with fine materials. Male brings twigs to female, and she builds the nest.
Female lays 3 to 5 pale green eggs. Incubation lasts about 25 to 30 days, by both parents, with eggs placed on the top of the large webbed feet. Chicks hatch altricial, and covered with white down in two days. Both parents feed and brood them.
Young fledge at about 5 weeks, and they are fed two weeks more by parents. They reach their sexual maturity at two years.

Food habits : Anhinga Darter feeds mainly on fish, but they also prey amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.

Protection / threats : Anhinga Darter eggs are collected by humans. They have predators such as crocodiles, ravens, raptors, crows and eagles.

Other links :
Iucn
Birdlife

Specification sheet created by Nicole Bouglouan

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