Female Anhinga

A female Anhinga bird (Snake Bird), with wings spread wide to dry.

The anhinga is a water bird. It does not have oil glands for waterproofing its feathers like most water birds. When it goes swimming its feathers get wet. This helps it dive and chase fish underwater. However when it is above water, it must spread its wings to dry in the sun. It can fly with wet feathers but not as well.

The anhinga spears his prey with his pointed beak like an arrow. Sometimes the anhinga's thrust is so powerful that the anhinga has to swim to shore and pry the fish off his beak by rubbing it against a rock.

This anhinga was at the Royal Palm National Park, Everglades.

Thanks for looking :)