Sometimes called snakebird, darter, American darter, or water turkey, this is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas.
The word anhinga comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.
The origin of the name snakebird is apparent when swimming: only the colored 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.
Like other darters, the anhinga hunts by spearing fishes and other small prey using its sharp, slender beak.
Reference: Wikipedia