Tag Archives: anhinga

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Anhinga fish flipping

By Sally Siko

One of the most fascinating species of birds that I enjoy photographing are Anhingas.
While on a recent birding trip at Huntington Beach State Park I was lucky enough to observe this one using its sharp bill to spear a fish, flip it into the air, and then swallow it head-first!



Anhingas are actually a species that is on the increase here in the Tarheel State. They favor habitats containing freshwater with cypress trees and are most often spotted hunting for a meal in swamps, ponds and lakes in the coastal plain and in the eastern Piedmont regions.



As you may have guessed, Anhingas eat a wide range of aquatic creatures such as fish, crayfish, small invertebrates, insects, and frogs.
Masters of underwater hunting expeditions, they are super entertaining to watch wrangling a meal.
In fact, they’ve evolved with some unique ways to hunt underwater more efficiently.

For one, they lack the water proofing oils found in duck species. Since (surprisingly) they’re not the strongest swimmers, they become waterlogged once their feathers become saturated. This added weight allows the Anhinga to dive deeper than it could if it was waterproof.

Another specialized feature of the Anhinga is that they do not have nostrils. This adaptation means they’ve got no worries about accidentally breathing in water while hunting below the surface.

As for the fish flipping technique shown here?
Well by tossing the fish into the air, the Anhinga is trying to manipulate its prey into a head-first downward position so that the fish doesn’t get caught in its throat.
Pretty cool, huh?

I think that it’s neat that a bird that looks like it belongs in the Jurassic Period would actually be the one species which is holding the latest in cutting edge freshwater hunting physiology, lol!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Enjoying Anhinga’s at Huntington Beach State Park, SC

There’s a lot of bird activity going on now that spring has arrived. It seems that every time I step outside there’s something new to see.
During a visit to Huntington Beach State Park last weekend, I had a chance to watch a pair of Anhingas building their nest which was really neat!



The male flew in carrying a stick which he awkwardly presented to his mate who was sitting on the nest.
After a minute or so she accepted the stick and carefully tried pushing it into the nest in various spots while the male watched her intently.
A few times the male tried to “help” his mate decide where the stick should go but she appeared to get agitated by him, eventually deftly threading the stick into a spot of her choosing.
Once the stick was intact they both seemed to relax lol!
Yet, perhaps the Anhingas shouldn’t relax too much…
If you look closely at the photo below, you can see a pile of large alligators laying in the mud directly below their nest.
One can only hope that their future chicks will learn to fly before they ever touch the ground to avoid the gators waiting jaws.



Anhingas are best found in the coastal counties of the Carolinas. You can spot them hunting for a meal along brackish & freshwater rivers, lakes, ponds, and swamps.
Masters of underwater hunting expeditions, the Anhinga uses its sharp bill to spear its prey, flips it in the air, and then swallows it head-first!
They dine primarily on fish but also will snack on small crustaceans, reptiles and invertebrates.

Anhingas are generally spring and summertime residents of the Carolinas however quite a few do spend the winter in the Wilmington and Murrells Inlet areas.
Look for them throughout the rest of the eastern regions from March through September.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Anhinga encounter at Airlie Gardens

Here’s a bird I was really happy to find during a recent birding trip to southeastern NC, an Anhinga!
In fact I got lucky and was able to spot two of them (an immature and an adult) on the ponds at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington.
Although I’ve seen this species before, these are the first photos I’ve ever captured of this large, prehistoric looking bird.



Anhingas are actually a species that is on the increase here in the Tarheel State. They favor habitats containing freshwater with cypress trees and are most often spotted hunting for a meal in swamps, ponds and lakes in the coastal plain and in the eastern Piedmont regions.



As you may have guessed, Anhingas eat a wide range of aquatic creatures such as fish, crayfish and frogs. They often dive underwater to catch their prey. Using their sharp bills, they impale their prey by piercing it straight through.
Interestingly they’ve evolved with some unique ways to hunt underwater more efficiently.
For one, they lack the water proofing oils found in duck species. Since (surprisingly) they’re not the strongest swimmers, they become waterlogged once their feathers become saturated. This added weight allows the Anhinga to dive deeper than it could if it was waterproof.
Another cool feature of the Anhinga is that they do not have nostrils. This adaptation means they’ve got no worries about accidentally breathing in water while hunting below the surface.
It’s neat that a bird that looks like it belongs in the Jurassic Period would actually be the one species which is holding the latest in cutting edge freshwater hunting physiology, lol!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds