Darter or Snake Bird dries its wings at Thol in Gujarat

From the archive record

Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) Is a widespread resident, unrecorded in parts of NW and NE subcontinent and Himalayas. Long, slim head and neck, dagger-like bill and long tail.Adult breeding has dark brown crown and hind neck, white tripe down side of neck, blackish breast and underparts, lanceolate white scapular strwaks, and white streaking on wing-coverts. Duller in non-breeding plumage. Immature browner and indistinct neck stripe and with buffish-white foreneck and blackinsh underparts, and buff fringes to coverts forming pale panel on upperwing. Habitat : Often swims with head and neck above water and body below. Seen singly, in scattered pairs and sometimes in larger groups. Spends much time drying its spread wings and tail white sitting on a favored perch. Unlike cormorant, does nmot