This is a female of the almost legendary African finfoot. Many birdwatchers have heard of it but few have seen it. It has an elongated body that resembles a cormorant or African darter (Anhinga rufa), with a length of between 35 and 65 cm. Its characteristic features are the bright coral-red bill and bright red webbed feet, which make it a skilled swimmer. The male has a dark gray throat while the female has a white throat and a more pronounced white stripe along the side of the neck. The African darter prefers calm, wooded waterways with dense vegetation along the banks, including rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps. The species is extremely reclusive, hiding in the vegetation and is usually seen alone or in pairs and very rarely out in open water. It swims deep in the water with its head nodding back and forth and its tail spread out on the surface of the water.