Among the more exotic birds in the Deep South are anhingas (photo). Often called the "snakebird" since it swims with its long neck and pointed beak out of water, the anhinga favors wooded swamps, bayous and mangrove lined bays.
Like cormorants, they commonly perch on snags and posts to dry their wings and feed primarily on fish. Most often seen alone, anhingas gather to breed in colonies, often in the company of other species (waders, pelicans, cormorants).
Anhingas are permanent residents in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, in coastal Mexico and Central America and throughout much of South America. In summer, their range extends northward up the Southeast Coast and into the lower Mississippi Valley.
