Anhingas — Snakebirds

In the black water of a Louisiana bayou, the water ripples where a slender form glides just beneath the surface. It appears to be a snake, but look closer at the long, narrow spike of a beak. It’s a snakebird, a colloquial name for the Anhinga, swimming with just its head and neck above the water. An Anhinga hangs motionless in the water or swims slowly just below the surface, its neck crooked, like that of a cobra. When an unwary fish swims close, the bird’s head darts forward, impaling its prey. Then it flings it in the air and downs it headfirst!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. 

BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.

 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.