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Why do anhingas spread their wings after leaving the water?
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Pelecaniform
European white pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus) in flight.
Anhingas spread their wings after leaving the water because their large contour feathers are wettable, meaning they trap very little air while the bird is swimming underwater. This lack of trapped air reduces buoyancy, which allows the anhinga to submerge easily from the surface without needing an aerial dive.1
Because their feathers become waterlogged, anhingas must climb out of the water and dry their wings in a characteristic spread-wing posture before they can achieve highly maneuverable flight. This behavior is also commonly observed in cormorants, which share similar feather characteristics. While many pelecaniforms engage in "sun-bathing" postures even when dry, the specific function of that behavior remains poorly understood.1