About the Oriental Darter
The Oriental darter is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. It has a long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like the cormorant, it hunts for fish while its body is submerged in water. It spears a fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and juggling it before swallowing the fish head first. The body remains submerged as it swims, and the slender neck alone is visible above the water, which accounts for the colloquial name of snakebird. Like the cormorants, it has wettable feathers and it is often found perched on a rock or branch with its wings held open to dry.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Suliformes |
| Family | Anhingas (Anhingidae) |
| Species | Anhinga melanogaster |
| Species Codes | darter2, ORDA |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Oriental Darter belong to?
The Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) belongs to the Anhingas family (Anhingidae), in the order Suliformes.
How can I identify the Oriental Darter?
The Oriental darter is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. It has a long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like the cormorant, it hunts for fish while its body is submerged in water. It spears a fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and jugglin...
Where can I report a Oriental Darter sighting?
You can log sightings of Oriental Darter on eBird (ebird.org) using species code darter2, or on iNaturalist.