Wattled Jacana
Jacana jacana
Striking marsh bird, medium-sized with exceptionally long toes. In some regions adult is entirely black; other populations more similar to Northern Jacana with rufous upperparts. Always has red forehead and wattle at base of bill. Juveniles very similar to Northern Jacana: bronzy-brown above with white underparts and eyebrow; note yellow bill and long toes to separate from other marsh birds. All ages show yellow wings in flight. Found in wetlands, usually with a combination of grasses and lily pads.
Identification
These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are 17–23 cm (6.7–9.1 in) long, but the females are larger than the males. The adults have a chestnut back and wing coverts, with the rest of the body mainly black. In flight the greenish yellow flight feathers are obvious. Also visible are yellow bony spurs on the leading edge of the wings, which it can use to defend itself and its young. The yellow bill extends up as a red coot-like head shield and a reddish wattle, and the legs and very long toes are dull blue-grey.<p>Young birds initially have entirely white underparts, and can always be identified by the presence of white in their plumage.
Taxonomy
There are six subspecies, with the nominate J. j. jacana being the most widespread. Several of the other subspecies are similar, but J. j. hypomelaena of western Panama and northern Colombia has all the chestnut plumage replaced by black, and J. j. scapularis of western Ecuador has some black feathers on its chestnut shoulders, and white outer primary feathers.<p>This species produces a range of noisy rattling calls.
- Scientific name
- Jacana jacana
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Jacanidae
- Genus
- Jacana
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rufous-tailed Robin
Larvivora sibilans
Combination of strongly scaled breast, rufous tail, and round-headed appearance distinguish this species from others in its range. Small and skulky, sticking to dense shrubbery and shorter trees in its forest breeding grounds, where it favors dense, moist growth in lowland broadleaf forests. Often bolder on migration, emerging into forest edges and gardens. Song is distinctive, a long, wet-sounding descending trill.
Bar-bellied Pitta
Hydrornis elliotii
Jade-green pitta with densely striped, green underparts and a black mask. Male has an aquamarine-blue patch on the back of the crown and a dark purplish-blue one on the belly. Female lacks both of these features and instead has a pale orangish head. Like other pittas, forages deep in dense undergrowth and can be hard to see, especially in the limestone gullies and forested riversides it prefers. Predominantly a lowland species. Song is a brief, bubbly-sounding exclamation of three notes, akin to “chowee-wu!”. Call sounds rather like a single blare of a police car alarm.
Sakalava Rail
Zapornia olivieri
Small, rare rail that is unlikely to be seen unless you’re expressly looking for it at a handful of known sites. Cleanly rich brown on the back and gray below, with a bright yellow bill and red legs. Found in a few western Madagascar wetlands with tall reeds and floating vegetation. Common calls are a repeated “tik” and a long, dry trill. Combination of size and all-yellow bill are distinctive.
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