African Jacana
A species of African and Madagascar Jacanas, Also known as Jesus Bird Scientific name : Actophilornis africanus Genus : African and Madagascar Jacanas
African Jacana, A species of African and Madagascar Jacanas
Also known as:
Jesus Bird
Botanical name: Actophilornis africanus
Genus: African and Madagascar Jacanas
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Description
African jacanas are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are about 30 cm long, but females are larger than males. They have chestnut upperparts with black wingtips, rear neck, and eyestripe. The underparts are also chestnut in the adults, only in juveniles they are white with a chestnut belly patch. The blue bill extends up as a coot-like head shield, and the legs and long toes are grey. 
Size
31 cm
Feeding Habits
African Jacana primarily consumes insects and invertebrates, foraging on aquatic vegetation and water surfaces. They exhibit unique adaptations for walking on lily pads due to their elongated toes. Their diet is specialized but varied within their aquatic habitat.
Habitat
African Jacana primarily inhabit shallow freshwater wetlands, including swamps, river backwaters, artificial lakes, and ponds. They favor environments with floating vegetation such as water-lilies, water-lettuce, water-hyacinth, Salvinia, and Elodea. African Jacana are often found in habitats with a mix of exposed water and floating-emergent cover which allows them to forage while being protected from predators, although they are not deterred by deeper waters with less vegetation. African Jacana also utilize taller emergent vegetation like sedges and Papyrus for shelter, but they do not nest in these areas. During the dry season, they can occasionally be found on river sandbanks or along wooded stream banks.
Dite type
Aquatic invertebrate eater
People often ask
General Info
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
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