4 Things You Need to Know About South Carolina’s Snakebirds

Ever seen a mysterious creature in the water with what looks like a snake’s body popping out from the surface? Well, you might have just spotted a snakebird. Commonly found in the coastal region of South Carolina’s Lowcountry, snakebirds can be a familiar sight near any neighboring pond, lagoon or even a quiet stream. Let’s take a closer look at these birds of the water world.

What is a Snakebird?

The snakebird, also known as the anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), is a bird species native to the southern U.S., including parts of Mexico and South America. Interestingly, snakebirds get their unusual nickname from their long, snake-like neck and slender frame that often barely break the surface of the water when they’re swimming – giving the impression of a snake slithering in the water. Imposing with their spear-like beaks and long S-shaped necks, snakebirds make quite the picture when seen in flight, appearing almost as flying crosses.

Male snakebirds flaunt a glossy black color with silver-white streaks across their back and wings while the females exhibit a pale tan or a reddish-brown head and neck. The bill of these birds displays a yellowish-orange shade with maturity. The anhingas do not possess waterproof feathers and their bones are heavier than those of most other bird species. This unique combination helps facilitate slow submersion of their bodies under water for hunting prey.

Diet of the Snakebirds

The menu for these aquatic birds mainly consists of small to medium-sized fish that inhabit their surroundings. However, their culinary preferences can also extend to local aquatic insects, crawfish, shrimp, or crabs. As opportunistic hunters, snakebirds spear their prey with a quick thrust of their long, pointed bill while swimming underwater or at the water’s surface.

Unique Behaviors

It is a typical sighting to find snakebirds sunning themselves with their wings outstretched near a water body. Displaying their plumage towards the sun, these birds bask in the heat to dry their feathers after a round of diving for food. Additionally, during the breeding season, the skin around a male anhinga’s eyes turns a brilliant shade of green or even a bright turquoise color at times.

Breeding Season

The breeding season of snakebirds generally falls between April and May in South Carolina. The birds engage in colonial nesting near freshwater colonies and the male initiates the nesting process. Upon choosing his mate, the female completes the nest construction, weaving together the materials gathered by the male. The female snakebird lays a clutch of two to five eggs, with an incubation period of 25-30 days. Both parents take turns to hatch the eggs and feed the hatchlings by regurgitating and dripping previously digested food down their throats. As the chicks grow and become stronger, they reach out to their parent’s beaks for feeding, and eventually grow fully independent.

Spotted near ponds, lagoons, streams, and lakes predominantly in the Lowcountry region, these ‘devil birds’ or ‘water turkeys’ might migrate south if the weather grows uncomfortably cold during the winter months, though sightings can occur year-round.

Though the snakebird might seem like a creature of mystery, locals have accepted this bird as part of the Lowcountry’s rich biodiversity. It reminds us that mother nature is filled with remarkable species – each with unique traits and behaviors worth knowing.

Source: HERE News Network