Species guide
African Darter: how to recognise it
A bird of Africa. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Willem Meijlink · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Anhinga rufa
- Family
- Darters
- Size
- About 80–97 cm
- Habitat
- Lakes, dams and slow rivers
- Found in
- Africa
The key marks
A slim bird with a snake-like neck and a dagger bill; it swims with only the neck above water.
Voice
Clicking and rattling at the nest; otherwise silent.
Good to know
It spears fish underwater, and then must dry its wings in the sun, like a cormorant.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in lakes, dams and slow rivers. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.