Species guide
Australasian Darter: how to recognise it
A bird of Asia and Oceania. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
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Photo © jpshahady · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Anhinga novaehollandiae
- Family
- Darters
- Size
- About 80–90 cm
- Habitat
- Lakes, rivers and estuaries
- Found in
- Asia and Oceania
The key marks
A slim, long-necked bird with a snake-like neck and a dagger bill; it swims with just the neck above water.
Voice
Clicking and croaking at the nest; otherwise silent.
Good to know
Its feathers get waterlogged, which helps it dive, so it has to sit with wings spread to dry.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in lakes, rivers and estuaries. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.