Bird of the Week – African darter

A common resident in most of Africa, south of the Sahara and South Africa except for the Kalahari sand veld.

Found almost at any inland water, preferably quiet lakes, pans and slow flowing rivers. Occasionally on estuaries and lagoons. They are solitary or gregarious when feeding.

The darter swims low in the water, often with only the head and neck showing resembling a snake (hence the name snake bird). They dive well and spear fish under water with their bill. They often perch on rocks or stumps with outspread wings. When disturbed they slip away quietly and dive, so are easily overlooked.

They fly well with their characteristic kinked neck and often soar. Seen regularly roosting gregariously with cormorants in reed beds or on partly submerged trees. Apart from feeding on fish they also eat frogs and anthropoids. They are usually silent, but have a harsh croak near the nest.

Breeding takes place in all months with a peak from January to April. The nest is a platform of sticks and reeds which they build very quickly in only a day. Three to five elongated greenish or bluish eggs with a chalky overlay are laid. The incubation is from 21 to 28 days, nestlings for three weeks and then they are able to fly in six weeks.

The Zulu name is iVusi and Afrikaans die Slanghalsvoel.

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