The anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) sometimes called snakebird, darter, American darter, or water turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word anhinga comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird. Among birds, the anhinga is probably the best fresh-water diver – it goes down with barely a ripple. The anhinga is a big bird, about 3 feet long from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail. The feathers are dark, sometimes green with silvery markings. Wings and tail may be bluish black. The eyes are pink surrounded by green skin. It has a long, straight bill and a Z-kink in its neck. The tail is long, made up of 12 wedge-shaped quill feathers. It has webbed feet.
