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Naples, Florida. With its wings spread wide and its snake-like neck extended, the anhinga looks like something from the age of dinosaurs — which, in a sense, it is.
I photographed this individual at Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a preserve of old-growth bald cypress forest and wetland in southwest Florida. The anhinga was perched with wings extended to dry in the sun. Unlike most waterbirds, anhingas lack the oil glands that waterproof feathers, so they must air-dry after diving. This necessity creates one of birding's most iconic poses.
The spread-wing posture has a prehistoric quality. You can see the lineage from dinosaurs to birds in that silhouette — the angular wings, the long neck, the reptilian profile. Anhingas are sometimes called “snakebirds” because of how they swim with only their necks above water, looking exactly like a snake moving through the swamp.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary offers some of the best bird photography opportunities in Florida. The boardwalk takes you through pristine habitat where wildlife is accustomed to human presence but not habituated.
Limited edition Chromaluxe metal print. Matte finish complements the dark plumage and brings out the subtle iridescence. Florida bird photography that connects the present to the prehistoric past.
Naples, Florida. With its wings spread wide and its snake-like neck extended, the anhinga looks like something from the age of dinosaurs — which, in a sense, it is.
I photographed this individual at Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a preserve of old-growth bald cypress forest and wetland in southwest Florida. The anhinga was perched with wings extended to dry in the sun. Unlike most waterbirds, anhingas lack the oil glands that waterproof feathers, so they must air-dry after diving. This necessity creates one of birding's most iconic poses.
The spread-wing posture has a prehistoric quality. You can see the lineage from dinosaurs to birds in that silhouette — the angular wings, the long neck, the reptilian profile. Anhingas are sometimes called “snakebirds” because of how they swim with only their necks above water, looking exactly like a snake moving through the swamp.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary offers some of the best bird photography opportunities in Florida. The boardwalk takes you through pristine habitat where wildlife is accustomed to human presence but not habituated.
Limited edition Chromaluxe metal print. Matte finish complements the dark plumage and brings out the subtle iridescence. Florida bird photography that connects the present to the prehistoric past.
