anhinga
- noun
- /ænˈhɪŋɡə/
- US
:
anhinga
- While kayaking in the Everglades, we spotted an anhinga diving gracefully underwater to catch a fish.
- anhinga and roseate spoonbill
- anhingas and herons
Examples
-
Depending on your chosen taxonomy, there are between twenty-seven and thirty-eight extant species of cormorants, all closely related to pelicans, frigate birds, and anhingas.
Academic text (2009) -
None of us, however, had ever heard of a water turkey, also known as an anhinga.
Fiction book (1998) -
The anhinga perched on a branch, its long neck stretched out as it dried its wings in the sun.
-
In the wetlands, the anhinga is often seen swimming with just its neck above the water's surface.
Synonyms
1
9.5
A water bird with a long neck and sharp bill that catches fish
A large black water bird with a long neck that swims with only its head above water in swamps
A large water bird with a long thin neck that eats fish
A large black water bird with a long neck and pointed beak that swims in swamps
Compounds
- Specialized
A large black water bird with a long neck that swims with only its head above water in swamps
Surface Forms
Etymology
Anhinga comes from a South American native word anhingá that meant something like 'snake-like bird' or 'devil bird'. The bird swims with only its long neck above the water and looks like a snake when it catches fish, which is why the name fits and is easy to remember.