Anhinga

Q: What are the chances of seeing an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

With luck. About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Anhinga sighting in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 224 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 125th most-seen of the 288 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

October. In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in December, the lowest month. That is one of Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve's wettest months, with about 160 mm of rain against 30 mm in March.

Q: What time of day is best to see an Anhinga?

Between 9 am and noon. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Anhinga sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve the best place to see an Anhinga?

22nd of 50. Of the 50 parks where we can rate Anhinga sightings, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve ranks 22nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas (Brazil, about 90%), Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 70%) and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (United States, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Q: Which relatives of the Anhinga live in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

Same order: Suliformes. The closest relatives of the Anhinga that you can see in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (order Suliformes, Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies) are Magnificent Frigatebird (about 30%), Double-crested Cormorant (about 20%) and Bigua cormorant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the Anhinga sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Anhinga is recorded against all the birds logged in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (224 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Anhinga anhinga

Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderSuliformes (Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies)
FamilyAnhingidae (Darters)
GenusAnhinga (Darters)
SpeciesAnhinga anhinga (Anhinga)

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%

224 Verified sightings at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve From 2019 to 2026

36,638 In all 50 parks

October Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge Everglades Icons North AmericaMedium

About the Anhinga

The anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), sometimes called darter, American darter, snakebird, or water turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word anhinga comes from a'ñinga in the Brazilian Tupi language and means "devil bird" or "snake bird". The origin of the name is apparent when swimming: only the neck appears above water, so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. They do not have external nares (nostrils) and breathe solely through their epiglottis, via small opercula at the corners of the beak.

The anhinga is placed in the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to the Oriental (Anhinga melanogaster), African (Anhinga rufa), and Australasian (Anhinga novaehollandiae) darters. Like other darters, the anhinga hunts by spearing fish and other small prey using its sharp, slender beak.

Members of the Anhinga genus live in warm, shallow waters and swamplands worldwide. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:04

United States · 2022

Begging call0:09

United States · 2011

Call0:42

Colombia · 2021

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 5 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~90%
2	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~70%
3	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	~70%
4	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~60%
5	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~50%
6	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
7	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
8	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
9	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
10	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~30%
11	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
12	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
13	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~20%
14	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~20%
15	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
16	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
17	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
18	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
19	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
20	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
21	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
22	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
23	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
24	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
25	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
26	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
27	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
28	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
29	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
30	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
31	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
32	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
33	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
34	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
35	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
36	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
37	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
38	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
39	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
40	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
41	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
42	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
43	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
44	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
45	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
46	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
47	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
48	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
49	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
50	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Miami	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
2	Orlando	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
3	Goiânia	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
4	Campinas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
5	São Paulo	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
6	Santa Cruz de la Sierra	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
7	Guayaquil	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
8	Campo Grande	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
9	Houston	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
10	Caracas	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Zoo Miami	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Bronx Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Audubon Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Gatorland	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
5	Bali Bird Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	In captivity

Closest Relatives at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Fregata magnificens

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Phalacrocorax auritus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sula leucogaster

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Quiscalus mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Mimus gilvus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Melanerpes aurifrons

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Myiozetetes similis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Dives dives

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Coragyps atratus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Cathartes aura

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Cyanocorax yucatanicus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Anhinga sighting in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 224 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 125th most-seen of the 288 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

October

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in December, the lowest month. That is one of Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve's wettest months, with about 160 mm of rain against 30 mm in March.

What time of day is best to see an Anhinga?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Anhinga sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve the best place to see an Anhinga?

22nd of 50

Of the 50 parks where we can rate Anhinga sightings, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve ranks 22nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas (Brazil, about 90%), Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 70%) and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (United States, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the Anhinga live in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

Same order: Suliformes

The closest relatives of the Anhinga that you can see in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (order Suliformes, Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies) are Magnificent Frigatebird (about 30%), Double-crested Cormorant (about 20%) and Bigua cormorant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Anhinga sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Anhinga is recorded against all the birds logged in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (224 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Anhinga

About the Anhinga

Sounds

Recent sightings of Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Magnificent Frigatebird

Double-crested Cormorant

Bigua cormorant

Brown Booby

Great-tailed Grackle

Tropical Mockingbird

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Social Flycatcher

Melodious Blackbird

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Yucatán Jay

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

When is the best time to see an Anhinga in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

What time of day is best to see an Anhinga?

Is Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve the best place to see an Anhinga?

Which relatives of the Anhinga live in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

Where does the Anhinga sighting chance come from?