Anhingas. Darters. Snakebirds. Related to cormorants, these fish-hunters, when perched with wings outstretched, epitomize the sleek beauty of avian art. Forget their seemingly inconcongruous but highly useful pink, webbed feet that power these birds through their liquid hunting grounds. Focus instead on their dark wings that appear spangled with silver, on their stiletto beaks stabbing the sky, on their necks that kink and twist with the sinewy grace of serpents. In the water, these birds sink beneath the surface until only their heads and those serpentine necks remain emergent, their appearance transformed to that of avian snakes. Behold the snakebird. Enjoy the art of anhingas.
The Art of Anhingas