Anhinga

The anhinga is also called a snakebird because it sits low in the water with almost only the neck and head showing. This makes people sometimes think that there’s a snake in the water. The anhinga doesn’t have oily feathers, which means they get wet and the bird needs to leave the water and dry its feathers. It’s often seen in a tree with its wings spread wide so that the feathers can dry.

I love the look of this beautiful bird–the black feathers with white accents and the pointy, sharp orange beak. That its webbed feet can grab branches and even power lines was a surprise to me.

Although I have taken a number of photographs of anhingas, I found it hard to get crisp pictures of their eyes. They always came out a little milky and soft. With so much to look at with this beautiful bird, the eye is perhaps not necessarily the focus, but I was very glad when I managed to get some pictures that show the bird in its full beauty, including a shiny eye.

Stunning!