94 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



The Water-Turkey is no more a " Turkey '' 

 than the Nighthawk is a " Hawk," yet this is the 

 name by which the American Darter is almost 

 universally known to the people of the southern 

 States where it is found. Of late years ornithol- 

 ogists have adopted the name, dropping the word 

 "Anhinga," which was formerly used. This 

 species haunts the shores of tree-fringed lakes 

 and rivers, as well as the wider stretches of lakes 

 and sloughs, if bushes or trees are here con- 

 venient upon which it can perch. It is a long- 

 necked, long-tailed, and short-legged bird about 

 three feet in length. The general color of the 

 male is a glossy black. The female has the 

 entire head, neck, and breast grayish-brown. 

 They are silent birds and live mainly in the 



out with only its slender head and beak exposed. 

 Often it swims with body out of sight and with 

 its long neck protruding in a most eerie and 

 snake-like fashion. 



Drawing by R. I. Brasher 



WATER-TURKEY (J nat. size) 

 A bird of haunting mystery 



silent places of the wilderness. Their whole life 

 seems to be pervaded with a haunting mystery. 

 It is undoubtedly the bird to which the rural 

 preacher referred when he said, " Where the 

 Whangdoodle mourneth for its first-born." 



When you come upon one sitting on some limb 

 deep in the swamp it will at times fly swiftly out 

 of sight, only to return again and again, each time 

 higher in the air until, having attained an altitude 

 of several hundred feet, it will circle about ap- 

 parently on motionless wings like a Hawk. 

 Again, and especially if it does not suspect itself 

 seen, it will drop from the perch into the water 

 beneath with only the faintest splash, and after 

 swimming to a safe distance will cautiously peer 



Photo by T. H. Jacksi>n Courtesy of Nat. Asso. Aud. Soc. 



NEST OF WATER-TURKEY 



Orange Lake rookery, Florida 



The Water-Turkey's food consists mainly of 

 fish which it captures as it swims beneath the 

 surface. When emerging from the water it 

 often ascends some sloping log or bush with low 



Courttsy u£ Nat. Asso. Aud. Soc. 

 FEMALE WATER-TURKEY 

 At Orange Lake rookery, Florida 



hanging limbs. The toes of its stout webbed 

 feet terminate in sharp claws which enable it to 

 climb with ease. Here, with wings spread, it will 

 remain for a time drying its feathers in the sun- 

 shine. 



