Darters (Anhingidae)
Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) - HBW 1, p. 361
French: Anhinga roux
German: Schlangenhalsvogel
Spanish: Anhinga Común
Other common names: Oriental/Indian Darter (melanogaster); African Darter (rufa); Australian Darter (novaehollandiae); Snakebird
Taxonomy: Anhinga melanogaster Pennant, 1769, Ceylon and Java.
Sometimes included in A. anhinga. Often split into three species, A. melanogaster, A. rufa (incorporating race vulsini) and A. novaehollandiae; A. rufa is most distinctive of three. Four subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- melanogaster Pennant, 1769 - India to Philippines and Sulawesi.
- rufa (Daudin, 1802) - Africa S of Sahara, Middle East.
- vulsini Bangs, 1918 - Madagascar.
- novaehollandiae (Gould, 1847) - New Guinea and Australia.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
-
An adult male next to the nest and a view of its four chicks Locality Molonglo River, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp novaehollandiae)
Geoffrey Dabb 28 February 2005 4 years ago 28 sec 4.8 -
An adult female preening next to the nest, with four chicks Locality Molonglo River, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp novaehollandiae)
Geoffrey Dabb 28 February 2005 4 years ago 34 sec 4.7 -
Female and immature perched together. Locality Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Stephen Wallace 9 December 2011 23 weeks ago 1 min 4.7 -
An adult male standing on a branch and preening Locality Molonglo River, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (ssp novaehollandiae)
Geoffrey Dabb 28 February 2005 4 years ago 12 sec 4.6 -
looking around Locality Kotu Creek, Kotu, Banjul, The Gambia (ssp rufa)
Daniêl Jimenez 22 December 2011 19 weeks ago 26 sec 4.6 -
Several shots of a bird fishing successfully. Locality Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (ssp melanogaster)
Josep del Hoyo 28 February 2011 44 weeks ago 45 sec 4.6
-
Bird perched above the water
Locality Kruger National Park, South Africa
Dubi shapiro 11 October 2010 18 weeks ago 4.8 -
on a dead tree
Locality Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
Lior Kislev 17 January 2006 15 weeks ago 4.5 -
Preening
Locality Balmoral Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (ssp novaehollandiae)
Bob Thompson 9 April 2011 1 year ago 4.5 -
A bird with open wings drying its plumage.
Locality Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (ssp melanogaster)
J.M. Garg 3 January 2006 2 years ago 4.4 -
Just taken flight
Locality Balmoral Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (ssp novaehollandiae)
Bob Thompson 9 April 2011 1 year ago 4.3 -
Drying his wings
Locality Bundala National Park, Southern Province, Sri Lanka
John A Thompson 26 March 2012 5 weeks ago 4.2
-
Calls recorded during breeding period Locality Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
(ssp melanogaster)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 August 2003 2 years ago 4.5 -
Calls of 2 individuals Locality Kumarakom, Kerala, India
(ssp melanogaster)
Stuart Fisher 10 February 2006 2 years ago 4
Email this page