African Darter
Anhinga rufa
Also known as: Darter, Sapapakhi
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
1.5 kg
About This Species
Swims low with only its long neck and head above the surface, giving it the name snakebird, and dives to spear fish underwater with its sharp bill. Common on freshwater lakes, rivers and dams across sub-Saharan Africa, it is often seen afterward perched on a snag or bank with wings spread wide to dry, since its feathers are not fully waterproof. Calm water bodies in the early morning give the clearest views of both the swimming and wing-drying behaviour.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A boat or hide approached slowly and quietly will usually get closer than a direct walk along the shoreline, which tends to flush birds off their drying perches.
- Keep enough distance that a perched bird does not need to take flight, since repeated disturbance during drying leaves it more vulnerable to predators and less able to thermoregulate.
- Follow any protected-area rules on boat speed and approach distance around wetland reserves.
LCAvesSuliformesAnhingidae
Seasonal Activity
154,447 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Suliformes
- Family
- Anhingidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 1.5 kg
Photo
(c) Willem Meijlink, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Willem Meijlink
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.