Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga


Anhinga
Anhingas, freshwater birds found throughout the American Southeast, are close
relatives of the cormorants. Above and below, males in breeding plumage.


Anhinga
The male, above, and female, below, are both drying their wings; like the cormorants, Anhingas lack the ability of most waterbirds to waterproof their wings with oil, so they must spend a good deal of their time out of the water with their wings spread in the sun.


Anhinga


Anhinga
Above, a female Anhinga in breeding plumage flying out of the nest.


Anhinga
A nestling, still with white down on the back half of its body, replaced by light brown juvenal feathering on the front half.


Anhingas
The same nestling begging for food from its mother.


Anhinga
A male struggling to swallow a large fish.


Anhinga
A male with a captured fish speared on its long sharp bill.


Anhingas
Male returning to nest, greeted by female sitting on eggs. Both sexes incubate; male was returning to relieve female at incubating. At times, as shown below, both sexes are in nest during incubation.


Anhingas