Indian Darter and Asian Openbill Storks

Indian Darter and Asian Openbill Storks at Kaziranga National park, Assam.

The Oriental Darter or Indian Darter (Anhinga melanogaster ) is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. It has a long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like a cormorant, it hunts for fish while its body submerged is in water. It spears fish underwater, brings it to the surface and tosses it into the air before swallowing it. The body remains submerged as it swims, and the slender neck alone is visible above the water, which accounts for its other name: snakebird. Like the cormorants, it has wettable feathers and it is often found perched on a rock or branch with its wings held open to dry.

The Asian Openbill or Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. This distinctive stork is found mainly in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is greyish white with glossy black wings and tail and the adults have a gap between the arched upper mandible and recurved lower mandible. Young birds are born without this gap which is thought to be an adaptation that aids in the handling of snails, their main prey. Although resident within their range, they make long distance movements in response to weather and food availability.

Source ; Wikipedia

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