Darter

The Darter is a fairly common, but localized resident. It is thick-necked and cormorant-like water bird with straight, unhooked bill. They catch fish under water by impaling them on their dagger-like bills, surfacing to swallow them. They swim with the body mostly submerged, only the long head and neck protruding above the surface, hence the popular name "snake bird". Adult has lower neck rufous, upper neck dark brown with a white line extending backwards from the bill. It has upperparts with long and gold-buff plumes. The young bird, from nesting to immature, is buff coloured.

The body feathers of the darter, like those of the cormorants, become saturated when the bird dives so that it retains only slight positive buoyancy. Thus, diving is not particularly difficult and the bird can easily stay under water. This advantage is offset by the fact that the bird loses body-heat to the water much more rapidly than, say, a duck would. Therefore, after a spell of fishing the darter must come out of the water, dry itself and, if possible, absorb some heat from the sun. Like cormorants the darter perches with wings outspread to dry. The birds have a black skin, which facilitates heat absorption. Darters nest in colonies at some distance from other species. The nest is a fairly substantial platform of sticks and twigs about 50cm in diametre. As nesting proceeds, the whole nest is "whitewashed" with the birds' excreta. The chicks have incredibly long necks, which they raise when the adult arrives with food. The food is carried in the crop and regurgitated directly into the chick's bill.

Singly or in pairs, they are found on large waters and rivers.

Lodges and Camps in Namibia: Beach Lodge - Casa Piccolo - Mahangu Safari Lodge - Mazambala - Oase Guest House - Phantom Farmhouse - The Desert Homestead

Botswana Destinations: Chobe National Park

Zimbabwe Destinations: Victoria Falls

Mammals of Namibia: African Wild Dog - African Elephant - Cheetah - Giraffe - Hartebeest - Hippo - Leopard - Lion - Red Lechwe - Roan Antelope - Sitatunga -Spotted Hyena - Springbok - Wildebeest - Zebra

Birds of Namibia: Blue Waxbill - Cormorants - Crowned Plover - Darter - Egyptian Goose - Fish Eagle - Flamingos - Grey Lourie - Kingfisher - Kori Bustard - Ostrich - Saddlebilled Stork - Secretary Bird