Biologists shed light on the physiology and behavior of cormorants and anhingas https://phys.org/news/2025-01-biologists-physiology-behavior-cormorants-anhingas.html paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00360-024-01593-x
"the two species forage in very different ways. #Cormorants are much more active swimmers and divers, quickly pursuing larger #fish for prey—often in deeper water and frequently in the ocean... they also consume more oxygen to do this. Meanwhile, #anhingas are more sedentary and lie in wait in shallower waters for small fish to swim by them"
They are two of Florida's most iconic waterbirds, who look and behave similarly, but it turns out the anhinga and the double-crested cormorant are quite different, new research from the University of Miami indicates.
I love #Anhingas!
The only bird in the #USA whose common, genus, species and family names are all the same!
They are often confused with #cormorants. They are very similar black waterbirds that dive for fish and spread their wings to dry afterward. Here are five #fieldmarks that will help distinguish between them:
1) Head/neck profile is very "sharp". Cormorants have bigger heads and hooked beaks.
2) Anhingas have a "turkey tail" with distinctive off-white feather tips.
3) Only the mature males are all black. The bird in your photo is either a female or immature.
4) If you get to see them drying their wings, they have beautiful silvery accents on their back and wings.
5) You can easily spot them in the air by their #flight pattern. Unlike cormorants, loons, and similar black waterbirds--they alternate between flapping and short glides. Flap, flap, flap--glide------repeat...
I was also told by a wildlife rescue person that they spear rather than grab their prey and to facilitate this they have small backward-facing barbs on their beaks.
In this photo you can see the upper bill penetrating the fish's tail!
I have no idea what they do with those clawed feet (they seem out of place) but they have always reminded me of the Alien from the #movie #DarkStar!
It's almost lunch time! What are you having for lunch? Do you need some suggestions?
#Herons #Birds #Wildlife #Portraits #Photography #Nature #Owls #Crawfish #Crawdads #Salamanders #Snakes #Fish #Anhingas #Seagulls #Jellyfish #Kites #BirdsOfPrey #Rats #Hawks #Rodents #Ospreys #Finches #Gallinules #Squirrels #Motmots #Catbirds #Egrets #BirdsInFlight #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography
If one photo could summarize the bird density and diversity in Costa Rica, this would be the photo. One tree, four branches, four birds.
Tárcoles River, Costa Rica.
#Birds #Birding #Travel #CostaRica #TravelPhotography #Nature #Wildlife #BirdPhotography #Photography #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #Anhingas #Kingfishers #Kiskadees
Anhinga in breeding plumage. Look at that blue around the eyes!!!
#Anhingas #Birds #BreedingPlumage #BirdsOfTexas #SpringColors #Birding #Photography #BirdPhotography #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography
Carrie BK
What Bird?🦜
Bryan 🏳️🌈 Pixelfed
Lukas VFN 🇪🇺
Richard Rathe
Christine Beeton
Heliograph