The Oriental Darter or snakebird - Near Threatened

The Oriental darter or Indian darter 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 the cormorant, it hunts for fish while its body submerged is in water. It spears a fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and juggling it before swallowing the fish head first. The body remains submerged as it swims, and the slender neck alone is visible above the water, which accounts for the colloquial name of snakebird.

During my trip to the Keoladeo National Park, I was staring at the river when suddenly this bird emerged from the water. It almost looked like a snake. It swallowed the fish and then dipped into the river again. 

They typically inhabit fresh water lakes, rivers, marshes, swamps, and are less often found along the seashore in brackish estuaries, bays, lagoons and mangrove. 

The Oriental darter is a Near Threatened species. 





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