Anhingawas drying its wings out between the dives. Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FLORIDA 12/2022
Look at this cool creature we met at the Riley Art Museum! Apparently, Anhinga
was simply drying its wings out between the dives.
Anhingas have unusually low metabolic rates and unusually high rates of body-heat loss. The spread-wing posture allows them to absorb solar energy to supplement their low metabolic heat production and to offset their high rate of heat loss. An anhinga with wet wings has difficulty flying. It can do little more than skip along the water's surface while madly flapping its wings.