The African darter (Anhinga rufa), also known as the snakebird, is a special water bird that inhabits parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. This fascinating bird belongs to the darter family, called Anhingidae, and is closely related to other darters found around the world.
An African Darter drying its wings.
Physical Characteristics
African darters are about 80 cm (31 in) long. Like other anhingas, it has a very long neck. The male is mainly glossy black with white streaking, but females and immature birds are browner.
A key way to tell an African darter apart is its thin white stripe along the side of its neck. The African darter differs in appearance from the American darter most recognisably by its thin white lateral neck stripe against a rufous background colour.
Habitat and Distribution
African darters live all over sub-Saharan Africa. You can find them anywhere there are large bodies of water. Darters are common residents at most wetlands, lakes, dams and slow flowing rivers, and occasionally lagoons and estuaries.
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Distribution of Anhinga species.
African Darters occur over most of Africa south of the Sahara, and can be seen almost all over South Africa, even occurring in the arid west of the country along the course of the Orange River. African Darter frequents fresh and brackish waters, fringed with vegetation. It performs local migrations according to the rainfalls.
The Lost Levant Darter
There was once a special type of African darter called the Levant darter (Anhinga rufa chantrei). The only non-African subspecies, the Levant darter (Anhinga rufa chantrei), occurred at Lake Amik (Amik Gölü) in south-central Turkey, in the Hula Valley lake and marshes in northern Israel and in the Mesopotamian Marshes of the lower Euphrates and Tigris rivers in southern Iraq.
Sadly, the populations in Turkey and Israel disappeared. The Turkish population disappeared during the 1930s and the Israeli population during the drainage of the Hula in the 1950s. The population in Iraq also faced big problems. They were affected by oil spills and the draining of the marshes after the Gulf War. However, a small group was found in the Hawizeh Marshes in 2007.
Behavior and Diet
These birds are excellent divers. They hunt for fish by diving underwater. African Darter dives for long periods, to search for aquatic preys. It propels itself with its webbed feet. It spears the fish in the flank, and brings it to the surface, where it tosses it into the air, catches it with the bill and swallows it headfirst.
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African Darter feeds mainly on fish, but they also prey on amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. They swim low in the water, usually with only their neck and head above the water, and can stay underwater for up to a minute when pursuing prey.
The name "darter" describes how they catch food. They use their sharp, pointed beak to quickly stab fish underwater. When it finds a fish, it literally spears it. ‘Darter’ refers to how fast. The alternative name, snake bird, derives from its sinuous neck.
African Darter with speared fish.
Unique Feather Structure
Unlike many other water birds, the African darter's feathers do not have natural oil. This means their feathers are not waterproof. Because of this, the bird is less positively buoyant and its diving capabilities are enhanced. After diving for fish, the feathers can become waterlogged.
To fly and stay warm, they need to dry their feathers. You will often see African darters sitting by the water. African Darter is often seen perched on bare branches or stumps above the water. It needs to dry its plumage after fishing with wings outstretched. Darter feathers are not waterproof, explaining why they are often seen sunning themselves on rocks and dead tree branches with wings outstretched. They spread their wings wide to dry them in the sun and wind.
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Nesting and Reproduction
African darters build their nests from sticks in trees. This species builds a stick nest in a tree and lays 3-6 eggs. Breeding occurs in colonies (often mixed with other species) in trees and reedbeds, mostly during the summer months. Nests are platforms built of sticks, on which both parents incubate the 3-6 eggs with their feet.
Breeding season is prolonged and variable, according to the rainfalls. The nest is located in trees, reeds or bushes, over water. It is made with sticks and reeds and lined with fine materials. Male brings twigs to female, and she builds the nest. Female lays 3 to 5 pale green eggs. Incubation lasts about 25 to 30 days, by both parents, with eggs placed on the top of the large webbed feet.
Chicks hatch altricial and covered with white down in two days. Both parents feed and brood them. Young fledge at about 5 weeks, and they are fed two weeks more by their parents.
Conservation Status
The efforts to drain the marshes were stopped and even reversed after the Iraq War. In spite of 110 birds being counted in Khuzestan in 1990 alone, the subspecies was feared extinct as a result of oil spillages in southern Iraq during the Gulf War and the drainage of the Mesopotamian Marshes that followed it. However, a small but threatened population was documented in the Hawizeh Marshes in 2007, along with other waters birds like little grebe, pygmy cormorant, marbled teal and sacred ibis.
