Darters are mostly tropical in distribution, ranging into subtropical and barely into warm temperate regions.
They typically inhabit fresh water lakes, rivers, marshes, swamps, and are less often found along the seashore in brackish estuaries, bays, lagoons and mangrove.
Most are sedentary and do not migrate; the populations in the coolest parts of the range may migrate however.
Their preferred mode of flight is soaring and gliding; in flapping flight they are rather cumbersome.
On dry land, darters walk with a high-stepped gait, wings often spread for balance, just like pelicans do.
They tend to gather in flocks – sometimes up to about 100 birds – and frequently associate with storks, herons or ibises, but are highly territorial on the nest: despite being a colonial nester, breeding pairs – especially males – will stab at any other bird that ventures within reach of their long neck and bill.
The Oriental darter (A. melanogaster sensu stricto) is a Near Threatened species.
Habitat destruction along with other human interferences (such as egg collection and pesticide overuse) are the main reasons for declining darter populations.
Darters are mostly tropical in distribution, ranging into subtropical and barely into warm temperate regions. They typically inhabit fresh water lakes, rivers, marshes, swamps, and are less often found along the seashore in brackish estuaries, bays, lagoons and mangrove. Most are sedentary and do not migrate; the populations in the coolest parts of the range may migrate however. Their preferred mode of flight is soaring and gliding; in flapping flight they are rather cumbersome. On dry land, darters walk with a high-stepped gait, wings often spread for balance, just like pelicans do. They tend to gather in flocks – sometimes up to about 100 birds – and frequently associate with storks, herons or ibises, but are highly territorial on the nest: despite being a colonial nester, breeding pairs – especially males – will stab at any other bird that ventures within reach of their long neck and bill. The Oriental darter (A. melanogaster sensu stricto) is a Near Threatened species. Habitat destruction along with other human interferences (such as egg collection and pesticide overuse) are the main reasons for declining darter populations.
Darter