This cache is part of a series of caches on the Great Florida Birding Trail for my Girl Scout Gold Award project. The purpose is to teach people about the birds native to the area so they can learn more about the birds and how to protect them and their environment.
The cache is located at the Blue Heron Water Reclamation Facility and Wetland Area, located at 4800 Deep Marsh Rd, Titusville, 32780, open Mondays-Fridays, 7 am to 3:30 pm. You can only go on weekends by making an appointment. It is recommended to drive your vehicle around the wetland instead of walking, but remeber to check in and out of the visitor center.
Anhinga
Characteristics
- Large and slender waterbirds with long fanlike tails
- Black with silvery white streaks on the back and wings
- Females and immatures have a pale tan head, neck, and breast
Behavior
- Anhingas swim with their bodies partly submerged and their long neck held partially out of the water
- After swimming they perch on branches or logs to dry out, holding their wings out and spreading their tails
- Often solitary when feeding, it roosts in groups and nests in colonies
- Hunts for fish while swimming underwater or at surface
Conservation Status
- Anhingas population is decreasing, and have an endangered environment
Habitat
- Cypress swamps, rivers, wooded ponds. Mostly on quiet and sheltered waters
- Also use brackish bays and lagoons along the coast, but they generally don't use areas with extensive open water
Interesting Facts
- Nicknamed "Snakebird" because of they way they hold their head above the water
- Sometimes eats snakes, baby alligators, small turtles, but mostly fish