Anhinga Catches Fish…Flips Fish…Loses Fish
Earlier this week I was watching an anhinga fishing in the marsh pond. As many of you know by now the anhinga is an expert at spearing, flipping, and swallowing fish. They almost never miss…almost. On this day however the anhinga bounced a fish off his head during the swallow portion of the event, and missed out on a nice snack. Nine times out of ten the anhinga makes this catch, but I guess this attempt must have been number ten!
Phil Lanoue Photography 
Wow Phil, amazing shots, great action photography, this is top nature photography.
Thank you very much Jan I’m very happy you enjoyed these.
Wonderful photographs, and wonderful story!
Thanks very much I appreciate you looking and commenting and glad you liked the pics and story!
Looks like a smelt, unless they are only up here in the Niagara River! They are mighty tasty too. With that wide gape, how did it miss?
I have to ask. Did you ever see a Great White Heron be intimidated by a gull? I photographed (poorly I might add in my post tonight) a heron with a fish, then the gull comes up with a frog in beak, and makes the heron give up his fish. It seemed so unlikely to me. Big bird dropping her catch to the little bird. Just thought to ask because you see these encounters far more than I ever do.
Love your images. I wish I could have them come in close for me, but they never do.
He doesn’t miss often that’s for sure and even when they do miss many a time I have seen them go back under and retrieve the fish.
I have seen gulls bother other birds for their fish. Gulls are not opposed to scavenging for a meal.
See this post for a sequence of a gull taking a fish from an egret:
https://phillanoue.com/2013/03/13/caught-stealing/
I have some flight action shots a gull chasing an egret and stealing the fish in mid air, I don’t think I ever posted those but now that you have me thinking about it perhaps I will.
I checked your blog but do not see a new post with a gull and egret?
Thanks for checking out these pics and glad you like ’em!
Oh, I was going to post it at 8 pm. Thanks for looking. I guess gulls are braver than their size would indicate. I would like to see the gull taking a fish mid-flight. I will be looking for your post. I will check out the egret fish theft too.
I can send you those pics if you want in case I forget and never get around to posting them, let me know.
I’ll be sure to check your blog later this evening when I get back. Sky looks like it could be interesting, I might head out to try a time lapse for sunset.
Thanks I would like to see the gull. I like gulls because they are so plentiful, but there behavior with other birds explains why there are so many of them. A good sunset is hard to pass up!
Send me an email to photos.wildlife@gmail.com and I’ll send ’em over to you if ya want.
Oops, but the anhinga eye is a beautiful jewel!!
The anhingas really are amazing birds and even when they miss the fish the action is always excellent!
He is absolutely patient. And you too, because you’ve been waiting for so long time! Great scenes, Phil! ▲
Thanks very much I really appreciate you looking and glad you like the anhinga photos!
Don’t you just hate it when that happens. The mouth seems big enough. You nicely caught it all.
The anhinga got bonked in the head by the fish on it’s way down. I guess the bird’s aim was off just a bit.
I won’t criticize him too much though, when I do they always look at me as if they are challenging me to go in and do it myself if it looks so easy. 🙂
On a separate note… I had TWO different people this morning ask if an alligator was real. 😕
Well I used to be able to catch smarties in the air – that’s pretty much the same thing right?
Maybe you need to start wearing head phones so people don’t ask you ridiculous questions or pretend you don’t speak English.
Oh it’s exactly the same thing and as far as I’m concerned Smarties are better tasting then a raw fish but what do I know?
I like the pretend I don’t speak English thing, I just might have to try that. The alligator in today’s post was the one people were asking about. I told one woman it was just rubber and if she waded out there and squeezed his nose she would find out. She just sort of looked at me then laughed a little and walked off. I’ll let her figure that one out on her own.
That’s a great response. You could record all those great questions and put them together for a video post. So the next person who asks you a question, just ask them to repeat it for the video.
Wow, just wow!
Hey thanks Tricia I really appreciate it! 🙂
You can almost hear the fish say “See ya”. Great photos
Thanks very much I’m glad you liked these anhinga pics! That fish has a story to tell. 🙂
What brilliant action pictures, Phil! How can a beak that size miss?!
They rarely miss Maggie, but even when they do there is still cool anhinga action to watch and photograph!
I’m wondering if he wasn’t showing off with an extra high toss, or perhaps the fish zigged instead of zagged at the right moment. I’m guessing it doesn’t survive with that spear wound.
That was a pretty high toss even for an experienced anhinga. Maybe they bit a bit cocky after three or four successful attempts.
Yes I suspect that wounded fish will end up as someone’s snack very soon.
Amazing details! It take much patience to capture these shots. Thank you, Phil!
Thanks a lot Amy, well I let the bird do all the work! 🙂
Another funny story told in wonderful pics. 🙂
Thanks so much I appreciate it!
Anhinga got a little cocky, and Mr Fish took advantage. That’s what he gets for showing off.
I think that’s exactly what happened. It works three times in a row and he feels it must be time to reall ypush the next one and it doesn’t turn out so great. Oh well, lots of fish in the pond, the anhinga will not go hungry.
Great photos. Those slippery little guys must be harder to command than the more full-figured fish!
I think that could be it, the ones I see them lose usually are the smaller, skinnier fish.
Thanks I’m glad you like the pics Deb.
How amazing! Great, no, incredible shots! 🙂
I appreciate your kind comments very much, thanks!
You win some ….
Lots of fish in the pond, that bird won’t starve and knows it.
Oh, so close. It’s not funny to loose your meal, but this is a humorous series of shots.
It was close but no fish on this attempt. No one wants to lose a meal for sure, I would hate to drop my sandwich. 🙂
DOH! Some times our best efforts go for naught. 🙂 Not your efforts here though, Phil. Cool sequence.
Thanks very much Steve, that bird might just be getting a bit cocky. I suppose having a good fish supply can do that. They probably don’t take as many chances in leaner conditions.
For a moment I thought these are cartoons. AMAZING captures Phil!! 🙂
Well I really appreciate you looking and commenting and I’m happy you enjoyed htese photos!
Hehehe. You mean this one really got away? I’m so happy for it. 😀 Great captures, Phil. Your photos are brilliant as always.
Thanks a million Sylvia, so happy you enjoyed these anhinga pics! That fish might have got away from the bird but with that spear wound it will likely end up as a snack for somebody fairly quickly. Poor little Mr. Fish.
Great show 🙂 no, great shots! Thank you dear Phil, have a nice weekend, love, nia
Thanks you so much Nia I’m happy you like the pics and hope you enjoy your weekend!
Dear Phil,
gorgeous serie, amazing shots!
Wish you to catch a nice weekend… 😉
Hugs moni
Thank you very much moni I really appreciate you looking at these photos and hope you enjoy your weekend!
Great details!
Thanks for checking these out Dina!
What a rare thing for anhingas to miss. No GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL!
Ha! That’s funny! I was just watching Confederation Cup soccer. 🙂
And no the anhingas rarely do miss.
That fourth image is amazing ! What a millimoment you captured there. I probably wouldn’t ask him to flip my pancakes though. 🙂
Thanks Em! These guys are really fast but would likely make a mess of your pancakes. 🙂
Hahahaha!! Now I know what my parents meant when they told me to stop playing with food when I was a kid.. 😀
You should see how these birds will shake the fish around like crazy before flinging it up into the air for a head first catch. They are real pros! 🙂
Fabulous series, Phil. The colors on Mr. Anhinga are stunning, and I can’t help but think of the cretacious period many millions of years ago when I see these guys in action.
They do look rather prehistoric don’t they?! Thanks for checking these out Sid!
WOW what action captured, amazing shots!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these, thanks!