Feb. 19, 2012 - Anhinga-Vierra Wetlands

During the photo workshop I recently attended, we went to the Vierra Wetlands near Melbourne, Florida. Nesting season was in full swing for the Anhingas. You can tell this is a female Anhinga by the brown feathers on her neck. The Anhinga can swim with its body under water and only the neck and head showing. At a glance, this makes it look like a reptile and that’s how it got the nickname of snake bird.

AnhingafemalebreedingplumageVieraWetlands20120130

Here’s a male Anhinga; note the black feathers on the neck. As part of his courtship display, he will lean forward, fan out his long, light-tipped tail, and move his wings up and down. This display led to another nickname, the water turkey. By the way, this is not the nest; it’s just a mound of grass in the water.

AnhingamalebreedingplumageVieraWetlands20120130

This Anhinga pair built their nest on top of a palm tree. The road beside the pond was elevated, so I was able to get an eye-level look at the female sitting on the nest. The brilliant blue/green skin color around the eyes is part of their breeding plumage.

AnhingafemalenestVieraWetlands20120130

Here’s both the male and female on the nest.

AnhingapairnestVieraWetlands20120130

As part of the courtship process, the male brings sticks to the nest site. The female does all the actual nest building.

AnhingapairpassingstickVieraWetlands20120130

It looks like she is accepting his stick and is about to make it part of the new nest.

AnhingapairpassingstickVieraWetlands20120130