# Anhinga (*Anhinga anhinga*)

The anhinga (*Anhinga anhinga*) is a bird of the family Anhingidae, in the order Suliformes.

> The anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) is a long-necked waterbird of the Americas that swims with only its snake-like head and neck above water, earning it the name 'snakebird'. It spears fish with its sharp, serrated bill using a hinge in its neck, then perches with wings spread to dry them. It averages 85 cm long and 1.35 kg and is listed as Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** South-eastern United States and western Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to northern Argentina.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/anhinga/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Suliformes
- **Family:** Anhingidae
- **Genus:** Anhinga

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Anhinga anhinga |
| Other names | Snakebird, water turkey |
| Diet | Fish; also aquatic insects, crayfish and frogs |
| Habitat | Calm, shallow fresh water: swamps, lakes and slow rivers |
| Size | Average 85 cm long; wingspan about 117 cm |
| Weight | Average about 1.35 kg |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2025) |

## Spearfishing

Anhingas hunt underwater, stalking slowly among plants. A hinge-like arrangement of the 8th and 9th neck vertebrae lets the neck shoot forward to stab fish with the long, sharp, serrated bill. The bird then surfaces, flips the fish into the air and swallows it head first.

## Wet feathers

Anhinga feathers soak up water, which reduces buoyancy and helps the bird swim low. Afterwards it must perch with wings spread to dry them and absorb the sun's warmth.

## Identification

Males are glossy greenish-black with silvery-white streaks and spots on the back and wings; females have a buff head and neck. The long, fan-shaped tail and thin neck set them apart from cormorants, which have hooked bills.

## Status

BirdLife International lists the anhinga as Least Concern (2025), estimating 33,300 to 133,000 mature birds; the trend is unknown. It ranges from the south-eastern United States through Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean to northern Argentina.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is the anhinga called a snakebird?

Because when it swims, only its long, thin neck and head show above the water, looking like a snake.

### What is the difference between an anhinga and a cormorant?

Anhingas have a straight, pointed bill for spearing fish and a long, fan-shaped tail; cormorants have a hooked bill and a shorter tail.

### Why do anhingas spread their wings?

To dry their feathers, which get waterlogged when they swim, and to warm up in the sun.

### Where do anhingas live?

In warm fresh waters from the south-eastern United States to northern Argentina.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Anhinga Anhinga anhinga. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/anhinga-anhinga-anhinga)
- [Animal Diversity Web: Anhinga anhinga. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Anhinga_anhinga/)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the Anhinga

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/anhinga/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.