Some alternative twin birds here.

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The two birds look the same, but as usual there is a catch. Firstly, I will show you the two birds swimming.
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Here above the two birds look identical, as if it was the same type of birds swimming in the dam.

But as we all know, looks can be deceiving and in a twist on a pun, never judge a picture by its cover. Let me tell you that I was also deceived by the two in the water as I thought that they were a couple. The locals call the one at the back a snake bird, due to only its long neck sticking out of the water with the rest of its big body hidden below the water surface.
So come and see what I am talking about.

Note: This post is in support of the #SMaP Show Me A Photo Contest Round 95!

Here was the bird at the front and it was a Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea).
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And here was the bird at the back. It is an African Darter (Anhinga rufa).
For some reason, even though both birds have the same habits, they are not related. The heron is related to egrets and bitterns and the darter is related to cormorants.
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Both birds were out to catch frogs and I have posted both birds before, the one with a frog in its beak and the other with a water snake in its beak.
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Great fun to be had at this little dam on a local golf course with the mountains and the clouds in the background.
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These are all unpublished photos taken on 2022/11/19, as can be verified on the photo registration numbers. I was mightily surprised when the two birds got out of the water, and I saw that they were not the same types of birds. Difficult to judge them with just their snake like necks sticking up out of the water, but so interesting to see that they have the same hunting processes in the water.

Note: All information taken from my bird book called Birds of Southern Africa by multiple authors. ISBN 978-1-77584-668-0.

So, I hope that you have enjoyed the pictures and the story.

And That's All Friends.

Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.

Thank you kindly for supporting a post on behalf of @papilloncharity

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27 comments
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Birds are the most beautiful parts of the population in the natural world. You have taken beautiful and unique photos

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Thank you and yes I agree, even though there are those in life that hate birds. Life is what it is and we have to make the best of it in our own ways.

!Blessings to your road on Hive!

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Although I probably won't have noticed if you hadn't said, the one at the back has a shorter beak than the one at the front, although that could just be the angle. But I can see they are very different from your other photos.

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Thank you and yes, it is just the angle, as the bird at the back (African Darter) has in fact a longer beak.
Glad that you could see all of the differences between the two birds.

!BEER

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Neat captures. Interesting as the birds look alike in the water.

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Thank you and yes, at first I also thought they were the same birds, but Mother nature played a trick on me. Glad that I could show the difference.

!PIZZA

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Is this the first time you saw them together? They really did look like a couple, maybe they are friends :)

I used the first picture in Let Our Picture Tell Your Story 🙌

This post has been manually curated by the VYB curation project

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Yep! They were not together as they came from opposite sides of the dam. It only looks like they are together in the water :) Two totally different birds my friend and my first time to see them swimming near each other.

Thank you for the curation and I twittered the post before this message of yours!

!BEER

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Thanks so much for promoting it :)

I guess it was past time those two met!

!PIZZA !ALIVE !LOL

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Yeah, you might be right, as maybe they are old friends 😉

!PIZZA !LOL !LUV

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I guess we will never know :) ...

Can you please have a look at my Evergreen post? It's dedicated to a child in Cambodia, who is neglected and abused 😢 All funds are going for her to get a good Christmas and things she needs, so it seems like something you might be interested in :) ?

!PIZZA !ALIVE !LOL

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I will certainly have a look at your post my friend.

!PIZZA !LOL !LUV

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Thanks so much for the support :)

!PIZZA !ALIVE !LOL

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