Oriental darter

How it lives

Lives on freshwater lakes, streams, rivers, marshes and estuaries, and roosts in trees or bamboo near the water. Breeds in colonies, often mixed with other water birds, on stick nests in trees. A clutch is usually 3 to 6 eggs. Incubation takes about 25 to 30 days, chicks fledge at around 50 days, and birds mature at about 2 years old.

Where it goes

A strong flyer that can soar for long distances. The sources I read give no migration routes. Breeding time varies by region, from June to August in northern India to winter in the south-east of India.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Least Concern worldwide (IUCN). It was Near Threatened until a reassessment in 2024. The reviewers noted local declines but found no reason to think global declines passed 20% over three generations, and nest counts in Kerala, India were stable. Reported threats include loss of wetlands, entanglement in fishing nets, egg collection and falling fish supplies in some areas. It lives in South Asia and South-east Asia. The African darter, Anhinga rufa, is a different species.