Australasian DarterScientific name: Anhinga novaehollandiae
Meaning of name: Anhinga is the native Brazilian name of the bird. Novaehollandiae means that this bird is of New Holland.
Aboriginal name: Mimal (mee’mal).
Distribution: Occurs across Australia near water courses.
Description: Up to 94cm long with a 120cm wingspan.
Notes: The furthest distance recorded by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme for this species of bird to travel is 2,431km (as at 13 June 2012). The oldest bird recorded was recovered 17 years 4.8 months after being banded.
The photographs for this species were not taken in the reserves of interest to the FQPB.
References: Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.
What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978
Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2 http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal
Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/science/abbbs/abbbs-search.html
The white underside of this bird indicates that it is female. Males have a black belly.
This male Australasian Darter has caught a fish from a man-made lake.
This female Australasian Darter has young birds in its nest. Photograph courtesy of Gary Tate.
Australasian Darters have to dry their wings after being in the water. Photograph courtesy of Gary Tate.
Australasian Darters sit low in the water because their feathers are not waterproof. Photograph courtesy of Gary Tate.
