Anhinga

The anhinga is a large-necked water bird residing in Southwest Florida communities. You can often find them near swamps and large bodies of warm water. They prefer areas with more dense vegetation near the water.

Community Environmental Services helps build habitats for the anhinga by supporting shrubs and trees near bodies of water, as this is most frequently where they set up their nests.

The anhinga is often called the “snakebird” due to the fact that when they are swimming, only their long, snake-like neck is visible.

Anhingas, unlike ducks, do not have waterproof feathers. This means that after a fishing session where they dive into the water, they have to dry off their waterlogged wings. This results in its iconic pose, where the anhinga is spreading out their wings to dry them off.