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Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae) Alternate name(s): "Snake-necked Darter", "Diver*", "Snake-bird", "Shag*" Aboriginal name(s): Race "novaehollandiae": "koorowera", "marbangye"; "mimal" (WA) Size: 85-90 cm; wing span 1.2 m Weight: 1.05-1.35 kg

Australia: Family Group 4 Family Group 4 Table Australian Pelican Red-tailed Tropicbird White-tailed Tropicbird Great Frigatebird Lesser Frigatebird Australasian Gannet Masked Booby Red-footed Booby Brown Booby Darter Great Cormorant Little Black Cormorant Little Pied Cormorant Pied Cormorant Black-faced Cormorant Imperial Shag Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Australasian Darters are big, slender aquatic birds with long necks and long tails. They are dimorphic, i.e. males and females have different plumages. Male Australasian Darters have black bodies and tails, and a dark-chestnut throat. A white eye stripe extends partway down the neck. The upperwings are scalloped black-and-silver. Female Australasian Darters have a creamy front, creamy-brown back and scalloped black-and-silver wings. The tail is black. The underwing plumage of both sexes is black, the bill is yellow, and the legs and webbed feet are pinkish-grey. Juvenile Australasian Darters resemble females, but their backs are only a shade darker than the front.

Taxonomy, classification See Australasian Darter at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information The Australasian Darter was previously considered to be conspecific with the Oriental Darter, Anhinga melanogaster .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Australasian Darter is available HERE . Australasian Darters populate parts of Australia, New Guinea and eastern Indonesia. Australasian Darters inhabit basically the coastal fringe around Australia, including the East coast of Tasmania, and the northern tropics, plus roughly the eastern half of the continent. They are only rarely found in the southern half of the NT and not at all in the major deserts of WA and the western half of SA, including the Nullarbor. Australasian Darters are found mostly in fresh water aquatic habitats, such as rivers and creeks, lakes and swamps. They can also be sighted in estuarine habitats, but only rarely in pure (marine) salt water. Where to look? How to find this species? Australasian Darters are most easily found while drying their plumage with extended wings, sitting on (often dead) branches near water or overhanging water. Since they often hunt in standing water near tree-lined edges, they tend to be found sitting in trees around permanent waterholes in rivers and creeks and lakes. While hunting in the water, they have a snake-like appearance, lying low in the water with their prominent long, thin necks.

Sightings Click here for sighting information In the area of Narrabri, NSW, Australasian Darters are common and widespread and we have spotted Australasian Darters in various types of wetlands since 2005. During the 2000-2010 drought they were few and far between, but since then their numbers have increased and they can now be seen regularly on most inland waters, including e.g. Narrabri Lake. After years of severe drought, V. Collinsfound Australasian Darters at Narrabri Lakeagain in May 2021. In addition, we have seen Australasian Darters in various places around Australia, such as wetlands in the Top End of the NT, and on the Greenough River near Geraldton, WA. They have also been found by us, and reported by various contributors, from coastal areas in QLD. S. Kirkby reports spotting Australasian Darters near Kakadu NP, NT, in June 2011. J. Greaves reports spotting Australasian Darters in Manjimup, WA, in March 2015 and on the banks of the Murchison River, near Ajana, WA, in May 2018. Towards the southern end of their range, Australasian Darters have been reported to us, e.g., by R. Plumtree in East Gippsland, VIC, in May 2015. M. Mearns reports finding Australasian Darters at Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, in September 2019. C. Pears found an Australasian Darter at Quindalup, WA, in May 2021, where in general they are found only occasionally. In March 2022, about 10 Australasian Darters were found at Lake Monger, Perth, WA, several of which were juvenile/immature. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours found an Australasian Darter at Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, in July 2019.

Photos

Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a look here .

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a "decorated" male Australasian Darter that has just emerged from a waterhole
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2010]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Australasian Darter (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, February 2021]

Near-frontal view of a preening male Australasian Darter
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, August 2014]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a male Australasian Darter
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2011]

Close-up lateral portrait of a male Australasian Darter in eastern Australia (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]

Close-up lateral portrait of a male Australasian Darter in western Australia (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Banks of the Murchison River, near Ajana, WA, May 2018]

Lateral view of a male Australasian Darter drying its plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]

Lateral view of a male Australasian Darter (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Banks of the Murchison River, near Ajana, WA, May 2018]

Lateral view of a male Australasian Darter swimming after a dive
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2010]

Lateral view of a male Australasian Darter shows clearly its completely webbed feet (photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, September 2014]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter basking in the sun (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, July 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2011]

Close-up dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter drying its plumage (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, December 2020]

Dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter drying its plumage (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Robina, Gold Coast, QLD, May 2015]

Frontal view of a male Australasian Darter in flight (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Kakadu NP, NT, July 2020]

Lateral profile of a "rocket" - male Australasian Darter in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2010]

Dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter in flight; note the rufous streaking on the wing coverts (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]

Dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter in flight; different phase of the wing beat (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]

Male Australasian Darter in flight, seen from underneath
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2010]

This Australasian Darter looks like a young male
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2011]

Direct comparison between - left to right - a male Australasian Darter, a Little Black Cormorant, a Great Cormorant, and a Little Pied Cormorant
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, November 2019]

FEMALE

Close-up frontal view of a female Australasian Darter drying its plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, July 2017]

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Australasian Darter drying its plumage
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, September 2016]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female Australasian Darter drying its plumage; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 25 September 2019 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a female Australasian Darter; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 21 June 2018
[Narrabri, NSW, June 2018]

Close-up lateral view of a female Australasian Darter drying its plumage; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 25 September 2019 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female Australasian Darter; note the pronounced kink of the neck
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2013]

The same female Australasian Darter as shown above, now on the point of take-off
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2013]

Lateral view of a female Australasian Darter (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Female Australasian Darter drying its plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Female Australasian Darter in flight, seen from underneath
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]

Female Australasian Darter in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2011]

Lateral view of a female Australasian Darter in flight; note the pronounced kink of the neck
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2012]

Female Australasian Darter approaching a dead treetop, showing clearly the webbed feet
[Moree, NSW, April 2014]

PAIR

Dorsal view of a pair of Australasian Darters, male on the right (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of an immature Australasian Darter; much of the plumage has already turned dark, but the head/neck and wing coverts are still juvenile feathers (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Postman's Track, Lake Samsonvale, QLD, November 2019]

4 immature Australasian Darters in various plumages (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, March 2022]

Frontal view of an immature male Australasian Darter starting to moult (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, March 2022]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Australasian Darter drying its feathers (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Brisbane River, Brisbane, QLD, June 2006]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Australasian Darter (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Kingaroy, QLD, October 2015]

Lateral view of a juvenile Australasian Darter (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, March 2022]

Lateral view of a juvenile Australasian Darter swimming in a creek
[Narrabri, NSW, September 2007]

Lateral view of a juvenile Australasian Darter preparing for touchdown
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]

Near-dorsal view of an Australasian Darter in complete wing moult (photo courtesy of S. Kirkby)

Fledgling Australasian Darter - note the growth of the wing feathers in comparison with photos taken 2 weeks earlier, in May 2018, shown below (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, June 2018]

Fledgling Australasian Darter - note the growth of the wing feathers in comparison with photos taken 2 weeks later, in June 2018, shown above (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, May 2018]

Juvenile Australasian Darter resting by the edge of an ephemeral wetland; this bird may have left its nest early, or fallen out, because it is still retaining downy feathers on its neck
[Near Pilliga, NSW, March 2022]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jan - Dec

Eggs: 2 - 6

Incubation period: ca. 28 days

Fledging age: ca. 50 days

Darters have erratic breeding habits. Given the right conditions, they can in principle breed any time of year, with a preference for the timeframe Aug - Dec in the southern part of the continent and Feb - Apr in the tropical North. Especially inland the breeding cycle will adapt to local water levels.

Nest building: ?

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks, leaves

Height above ground: 3 - 20(?) m

Three tall Australasian Darter chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, June 2017]

Four tall Australasian Darter chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, May 2018]

Two tall Australasian Darter chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, May 2018]

Male Australasian Darter on its nest with chicks
[Pilliga, NSW, December 2022]

The same tree, but a different fork, was still in use 2 months later; this nest had 3 chicks in it, one of which is seen begging for food
[Pilliga, NSW, February 2023]

Female Australasian Darter on its nest with chicks
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, December 2022]

Australasian Darter chicks preening in their nest
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, December 2022]

Male Australasian Darter on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Broadwater, near Dalby, QLD, January 2018]

Female Australasian Darter on its nest in a dead tree standing in water (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Paradise Dam, Burnett River, near Gayndah, QLD, April 2016]

Example of Australasian Darters nesting in a loose colony with other species, in this case Little Pied Cormorants
(photo courtesy of D. Albertson, LTIM Gwydir Wetlands)
[Gwydir Wetlands, 50 km West of Moree, NSW, February 2015]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 58 x 37 mm

Colour: Creamy, with chalky coating

Shape: Long elliptical

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial?

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary

Hunting under water, Australasian Darters are one of the bird species that can regularly be seen drying their plumage sitting on a perch in bright sunlight.

Dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter drying its plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2013]

Australasian Darters and Little Pied Cormorants drying their plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, September 2017]

When excited, e.g. when wary of a human observer, male Australasian Darters will display their hackles.

Near-dorsal view of a male Australasian Darter issuing a warning when disturbed while drying its plumage; this is the bird whose faint clicking calls were recorded on 3 December 2015
[Mudgee, NSW, December 2015]

This immature Australasian Darter was found by us on a rockface by the sea
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Australasian Darter coming in to land - a Little Pied Cormorant is just about to lose its perch
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2017]

Food, Diet

Australasian Darters feed exclusively on fish. They spear their prey, rather than grabbing it like herons or egrets. They then thrust the prey upward and maneuvre it into the slender bill by turning it.

Female Australasian Darter with its prey
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]

Additional information

On a separate page we have lined up a series of low-quality shots of a Australasian Darter turning around and swallowing a fish speared on its bill.

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

darter_20230227_2.mp3	(NW NSW)	Contact call (male)	© MD
darter_20210613.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact call	© MD
darter_pb_20190925.m4a	(Darwin, NT)	Contact call (female)	© PB
darter_20180621.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact call (female)	© MD
darter_20230227_3.mp3	(NW NSW)	Warning calls (male)	© MD
darter_20230227.mp3	(NW NSW)	Arrival (male) - warning?	© MD
darter_20210613_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Female leaving perch, male arriving	© MD
darter_20210613_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Male moving around on perch	© MD
darter_20230227_5.mp3	(NW NSW)	Begging calls (nestlings)	© MD
darter_20230227_4.mp3	(NW NSW)	Begging calls (nestlings) (+ Superb Fairy-wren)	© MD

More Australasian Darter sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Wed, 1 March 2023, 0:53 +00:00