Anhinga

Look for

A long, slender waterbird with a snake-like neck and a sharp pointed bill. Swims with only the head + neck above water — which is how it got the nickname "Snake Bird." When perched, it holds its wings spread wide to dry (like a cormorant).

Male: glossy black body with silver-white streaks on the wings. Female: tan head, neck, and chest (distinctive from male).

Size: ~35" with a 4-foot wingspan.

Listen for

• Mostly silent.
• At breeding colonies: soft clicks, grunts, and rattles.

Where near Memphis

Reelfoot Lake is the northernmost reliable spot for Anhingas in Tennessee. This is the extreme northern edge of the Anhinga's breeding range — they're a primarily Gulf Coast / Florida / Mexico species that barely reaches the mid-South.

Almost never seen in the Memphis metro.

Behavior

• Dives underwater to chase fish — swims with body submerged.
• Spears fish with its sharp pointed bill (unlike cormorants, which grip with a hooked bill).
• Perches with wings spread to dry — they lack the oils that waterproof most waterbirds' feathers, which makes them better divers but means they get waterlogged.
• Soars on thermals like a vulture or a hawk — surprisingly graceful in flight for a waterbird.
• Nests colonially with herons and other wading birds.

Story

The "snake bird" illusion

Watching an Anhinga swim is unsettling the first time. The body is completely submerged; only the long black neck snakes through the water like a cobra. Then it vanishes — the whole bird just sinks. This is called "snorkel swimming" and it's a signature Anhinga behavior.

The swim-snake-vanish pattern is how Anhingas stalk fish from below — they swim up stealthily and spear-strike upward.

Not a cormorant

Anhingas and cormorants are often confused. Key differences:

| | Anhinga | Cormorant | |---|---|---| | Bill | Straight, pointed (spears fish) | Hooked (grips fish) | | Neck | Very long, snake-like | Shorter, thicker | | Tail | Long, fan-shaped | Short | | Wing color | Silver-white wing streaks | Uniform dark | | Flight | Soars on thermals | Mostly flaps |

If you see a bird soaring and think "cormorant" — it's probably an Anhinga.

A tropical bird at its range edge

Anhingas are tropical waterbirds. They breed from the Gulf Coast south through Central America, the Caribbean, and into South America. Tennessee is at the extreme northern edge of their range — and Reelfoot is the one consistent TN breeding site.

Climate change is pushing the northern range boundary slowly northward — Anhingas may become more regular in Tennessee over coming decades.

Fun facts

• Lack waterproof oils — feathers absorb water, reducing buoyancy for better diving.
• Can stay submerged 30+ seconds during dives.
• Their tail is used as a rudder underwater.
• Oldest known wild Anhinga: 12+ years.
• The name Anhinga comes from Tupi (Brazilian Indigenous language), meaning "devil bird" or "snake bird."

Field notes (to add)

• Reelfoot Lake breeding colony location
• Silhouette comparison: Anhinga vs Double-crested Cormorant in flight
• Summer 2025 eBird sightings in TN