African Darter

Taxobox
name = African Darter
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
status_ref = [IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=49545|title=Anhinga rufa|downloaded=12 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern]

---

image_caption = At the Chobe National Park
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Pelecaniformes
familia = Anhingidae
genus = "Anhinga"
species = "A. rufa"
binomial = "Anhinga rufa"
binomial_authority = (Daudin, 1802)The African Darter ("Anhinga rufa "), sometimes called the Snakebird, is a water bird of tropical sub-Saharan Africa.

This species builds a stick nest in a tree and lays 3-6 eggs. It often nests with herons, egrets and cormorants.

It is an 80 cm long cormorant-like fish-eating species with a very long neck which occurs in both saline and fresh water, especially near mangroves. It often swims with only the neck above water.

The male is mainly glossy black with white streaking, but females and immature birds are browner. The African Darter differs in appearance from the American Darter most recognisably by its thin white lateral neck stripe against a rufous background colour. The African Darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to American ("Anhinga anhinga"), Oriental ("Anhinga melanogaster"), and Australian ("Anhinga novaehollandiae") Darters.

There are an isolated tiny population of the African Darter at the Lower Mesopotamian wetlands in Iraq. The bird used to breed there in breeding colonies with Pygmy Cormorant and Sacred Ibis and other Waterfowl.

Bibliography

* "Birds of The Gambia" by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1