信息来源于The Portland Press Herald，Fox News，CornellLab。
Magical sightings
On July 30, Tabitha · Holt, a birdwatcher based in Maine, United States, posted a photo she had taken in a small town in Lincoln County on the MAINE Wildlife Facebook group with 175,000 followers: a black bird with its wings wide and standing on a log in a flooded meadow, presumably drying its feathers.
The photo sparked an enthusiastic reaction from others, and everyone recognized the bird, but it was the first time it had appeared in Maine, and it was beyond everyone's expectations!
This is a "devil bird", scientific name is the American snake pelican (Anhinga anhinga), a waterfowl and a resident bird, it does not migrate long distances, which is why everyone is surprised, they are native to the southern states of the United States, Mexico and parts of South America, and have never been found to migrate so far.
Many bird-watching enthusiasts immediately set off to the photo shoot in the hope of seeing it in person, but no one saw it again, and it seems that it has left.
Charles · Duncan, a Maine birdwatcher and co-author of the book "Birds of Maine," said in an interview: Based on the shape of its feathers, the American snake pelican that was found appears to be female, not very old, and is estimated to have been born only last year. Locals said the bird had been living there for about a month and was last seen in the photo taken by Tabitha · Holt.
According to Cornell Ornithology Lab, the American snake pelican has been migrating north recently, spotting one in New York last year, after Maryland was the northernmost nesting site for these birds. A spokesperson for the lab said the American snake pelican may be a pioneer in exploring new habitats. Climate change is a major driver of the northward expansion of birds, which fits this pattern. This is definitely a factor, but it is difficult to determine with a single sample size.
But a lab spokesperson added that there may be other coincidental factors behind the American snake pelican's northward expansion, such as an abundance of food. When these resources dwindle, birds may retreat south.
The nickname "devil bird" comes from the Tupi Indians in Brazil, who believe that the American snake pelican is a kind of demon in the forest, why do they call them that? Apparently because of its special shape.
The morphology of the American snake pelican
A black, streamlined body lurks silently in the lake, with only its serpentine head protruding from the surface of the water to look around. It sounds like a Loch Ness Monster, but it's actually an American snake pelican that swims continuously underwater, stabbing fish with its dagger-sharp beak. At the end of each hunt, they spread their silver wings at the edge of the water, and raise their heads high, which seems noble, but in fact they are drying their feathers, and when they are dry, they take off and fly high in the thermals.
Weird, right? As waterfowl, they don't have waterproof feathers? While other waterfowl have waterproof feathers in the hope of regaining their ability to fly as soon as possible, American snakes abandon waterproof feathers to ensure their hunting flexibility, as their moist plumage and dense bones allow them to slowly immerse themselves in the water so that they can stalk fish cunningly.
The American snake pelican is a large bird that can reach 75-95 cm in length, weigh 1325-1350 grams, and have a wingspan of 109 cm. Adult males are black with white or silver stripes on their backs and wings, and look quite simple and high-end; Its blue eyes are particularly piercing, and its beak, legs, and feet are yellowish-orange; The tail resembles a turkey and the tail is fan-shaped; When it flies, it looks like a flying cross; The wings are flat, and the neck and tail are straight out.
This combination made them a deterrent to ancient humans, which is why the Tupi Indians in Brazil called them "devil birds".
Females and juveniles have a light brown head, neck, and chest.
habit
The American snake pelican inhabits shallow freshwater lakes, ponds, and slow-flowing streams all year round, preferably with broken trees at the water's edge, so they can stand and dry themselves. They are also occasionally found in saltwater lakes and lagoons, but generally do not move in vast open waters.
The American snake pelican lives with other waterfowl such as herons, egrets, ibises, storks and cormorants, sharing habitats, nesting in groups, detecting danger together, and if one bird perceives danger, the others will be informed.
The snake pelican's diet consists of many small to medium-sized wetland fish, as well as very small amounts of crustaceans and invertebrates. It swims slowly underwater, tracking fish around the underwater vegetation. Snake pelicans usually quickly pierce the sides of fish with their half-open beaks. They are usually pierced with two upper jaws, but may only pierce small fish with their upper jaws. The side-stabbing habits of snake pelicans suggest that the usual method of hunting is stalking rather than pursuit.
Male and female American snake pelicans are responsible for a variety of different aspects of nest building. Males do this before they have a mate, gathering all the nesting materials they need, including fresh leaves, green twigs, willow leaves, and inflorescences; When a mate is found, the female will take over the work hungry and begin to build its nest with the materials collected by the male. It is worth mentioning that over time, this nest will turn white, as the American snake pelican will pull the feces to the outer edge of the nest, and it will turn white after accumulating over time.
their current status
The American snake pelican is not widely distributed and their habitat is far from humans, making it difficult to obtain a relatively accurate estimate of the number of the snake pelican, and the species is unfamiliar to the general population.
Between 1966 and 2019, the number of snakes increased by nearly 2% per year, according to a survey by Flight Partners, which estimates the global breeding population of American snakes to be around 2 million.
The potential threat to the American snake pelican is mainly the development of wetlands, which may reduce the available habitat for the snake pelican; Fishing lines discarded by fishermen or anglers can also pose a threat to them, as birds can become entangled in them.