The Columbia area has recently received the visit of an unusual guest.
The Anhinga bird, which is also called the Snakebird, is known for its long neck and tail. The bird can usually be found in the southeastern wetlands in the United States.
However, the Anhinga has been sighted by local bird-watchers in the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area since late July, according to social media posts. This could be the first sighting of this bird in the conservation area or even in mid-Missouri.
“It’s an unusual bird for mid-Missouri, but it’s often seen in this area during this time of year,” said Robert Pierce, a University of Missouri Extension associate professor specializing in state wildlife and fisheries.
Additionally, the Anhinga used to be a breeding bird in southeastern Missouri, but not since the region was mostly cleared and converted for agriculture.
“There’s certainly probably instances that they might have been seen a little further north, but certainly their range is mostly in the south,” Pierce said. He added that although the sightings in mid-Missouri are unusual, this area is within the bird’s normal movement patterns.
Pierce said that sightings of birds not commonly seen throughout the year is a result of Eagle Bluffs’ unique ecosystem and wetlands.
Pete Monacell, chair of the Missouri Bird Records Committee, said the bird could have come this far north as a result of a phenomenon named post-breeding dispersal.
“So they, after the breeding season, would wander from their nesting sites, from their colonies, and that behavior is often associated with young birds,” Monacell said.
Monacell said the Anhinga at Eagle Bluffs could be an immature bird or an adult female, but he suspects it might be a young bird, which are often associated with this phenomenon.
This would also line up with when the bird was first sighted nearby, as late July into August is the bird’s post-breeding period, Monacell said.
There is no way of knowing how long the Anhinga will stay nearby, but it will most likely move back south as the seasons move from summer to fall, Pierce said.
According to the National Audubon Society, the Anhinga is “A long-necked, long-tailed swimmer of southeastern swamps. Often seen perched on a snag above the water, with its wings half-spread to dry.”
The bird can also sometimes swim with only its head and neck above water, which is why it is called the Snakebird, according to the society.
Anhingas are also solitary when feeding, but roost in groups and nest in colonies, according to the society.
Additionally, the bird is mostly silent, but can make croaking or clicking sounds around nesting colonies, according to the society. When flying, the bird’s long tail may be spread wide, but it often looks like a cormorant when perched, according to the society.
