Australasian Darter

A spectacular part of a Darters life is its fishing method. It skewers a fish with its sharp beak and brings it to the surface to throw it in the air and swallow it head first. More info below the gallery images.

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Australasian Darter

The Darter hunts under water. It skewers a fish and brings it to the surface to throw it in the air and swallow it head first.  It is a surprisingly large bird. When you see it swimming along with just its head above water you don't get the correct impression of the size of the bird. It spends most of its time basking with its wings out on on a log or a stump. It goes for a fifteen minute hunt five or six times a day and spends up to a minute or so under water at a time.

From my observation, a Darter usually catches/consumes between three and five fish each hunt. The fish of choice at the Wetlands is Redfin. Given the large numbers of Darters and Cormorants working the Wetlands, the fish kill is many thousands per year.

If another Darter comes into its territory a ruckus usually ensues. You can see such a fight in my galleries. However Darters tolerate Cormorants fishing in their territory.

See Darters fighting. You can find more info at eBird.org