Oriental Darter

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Oriental Darter
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Anhingidae
Genus: Anhinga
Species: A. melanogaster
Binomial name
Anhinga melanogaster
(Pennant, 1769)
Synonyms

Plotus melanogaster

Adult drying its wings at Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India.

The Oriental Darter or Indian Darter (Anhinga melanogaster ), sometimes called Snakebird, is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Contents

Taxonomy

The Oriental Darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to American (Anhinga anhinga), African (Anhinga rufa), and Australasian (Anhinga novaehollandiae) Darters.

Description

It is a cormorant-like species that has a very long neck.

The Oriental Darter differs in appearance from American darters most recognisably by its white lateral neck stripe. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays 3-6 eggs.

Behaviour

It often swims with only the neck above water. It is a fish-eater.

References

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2006). Anhinga melanogaster. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened

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