Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)

OTHER NAMES: Snakebird, American Darter, Water Turkey
Latin Etymology: Anhinga (Tupi word approximating "Devil bird") anhinga (Tupi word approximating "Devil bird")

Adult Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) at Alajuela, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Unclear
Weight: 1-1.35kg  /  Length: 89cm  /  Wingspan: 114cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

One of the more widely distributed of the four darter species ranging from the Southern United States in the North to Uruguay in the South. As with the rest of their family they are fishing specialists, particularly favouring warm shallow waters such as rivers and marshland where they dive for fish and other aquatic prey. 

Related Species:
Order: Suliformes
Family: Anhingidae
Genus: Anhinga
SUBSPECIES: A. a. anhinga, A. a. leucogaster

 - Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Anhinga Americana ("American Anhinga")

A widespread but local resident.
 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen  over Hotel Robledal, Alajuela

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)

OTHER NAMES: Indian Darter, Snakebird
Latin Etymology: Anhinga (Tupi word approximating "Devil bird") melanogaster ("black belly")

Adult non-breeding Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) at Prek Toal, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 1-1.8kg  /  Length: 85-97cm  /  Wingspan: 120cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

The darter family are an unusual cormorant like group of birds with only four extant species; they are broadly cormorant like, but have a distinctive "spearing" feeding style, and sit very low in the water so only their long serpentine neck emerges above the surface.  The Oriental Darter is widely distributed through India and South East Asia, but is considered to be declining due to human effects on it's aquatic habitats.

Related Species:
Order: Suliformes
Family: Anhingidae
Genus: Anhinga
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ស្មោញ ("Smell")

A locally common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Spine-legged Redbolt (Rhodothemis rufa)

OTHER NAMES: Rufous Marsh Glider, Common Redbolt, Ruby Darter

Latin Etymology: Rhodothemis (?) rufa ("red")

Adult male Spine-legged Redbolt (Rhodothemis rufa) at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: 31mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A common dragonfly of much of South-East Asia, despite the name, only the male is red, white the female is brown with a distinctive white stripe running from the tip of it's tail up it's back. The spine-legged redbolt can be found in fairly disturbed habitats such as the parks in the centre of Kuala Lumpur.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Rhodothemis 
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - ?

A widespread resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several in Kuala Lumpur

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Foot-tipped Darter (Sympetrum eroticum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Sympetrum (?) eroticum ("erotic")

Adult male Foot-tipped Darter (subspecies S. e. eroticum) at Kyoto Imperial Palace Gardens, Kyoto, Japan - June 2013

Featured Subspecies: Sympetrum eroticum eroticum
Length: 30-42mm  /  Wingspan: 70mm
UK Status: Not Present / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While watching birds at a small water fountain in Kyoto's Imperial Palace Garden, a small number of these dragonflies were patrolling the area, occasionally landing on the plants long enough to get a proper look at them.  This species took a fair bit of identifying - though it does have an English name (though to what "foot-topped" refers, I don't know) but it ultimately involved going through a list of Japanese dragonflies until I narrowed it down to the right one.  This species seems fairly variable in colour, ranging from bright yellow to bright red and anything in between, as with this individual.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Sympetrum
SUBSPECIES: S. e. ardens, S. e. eroticum

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - マユタ テア カネ  /  Mayutateakane

Locally common resident

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: Seen in Kyoto.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Sympetrum (?) striolatum ("striated")

Adult Common Darter (subspecies S. s. striolatum) at Geddington, Northants - August 2009

Featured Subspecies: Sympetrum striolatum striolatum
Length: 38-43mm  /  Wingspan: 57mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Common darters are one of the more numerous dragonflies in Europe. They show a large amount of dimorphism between the sexes - the above picture is a female while males are bright red.  Another species that has a broad range throughout Europe, the Common Darter is on the wing from June to December in Northern Europe.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Sympetrum 
SUBSPECIES: S. s. doshidordzii, S. s. imitoides, S. s. kurile, S. s. pallidum, S. s. striolatum

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington and various other sites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Sympetrum (?) sanguineum ("bloody")

Adult male Ruddy Darter (Symperum sangiuneum) at Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk - July 2023

Featured Subspecies: ?
Length: 3.4-3.6cm  /  Wingspan: 6cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widespread but local species of dragonfly, the Ruddy Darter iss similar in appearance to the Common Darter, but possesses all black legs and and a more "waisted" abdomen. It's range in the UK is currently expanding Northward, likely due to climate change.  

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Sympetrum
SUBSPECIES: ?

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common residet of much of England
 - Seen at various sites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.