- Actophilornis africanus
Identification
Length 25-30 cm, mass 115-274 g, females are larger than males.
Adult: These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They have chestnut upperparts with black wingtips, rear neck and eyestripe. The underparts are white, with a chestnut belly patch in adult birds. The blue bill extends up as a coot-like head shield, and the legs and very long toes are grey. The eyes are dark brown.
Immature: Similar to adult Lesser Jacana, but much bigger; above light brown (dark brown in adult Lesser Jacana), below white; breast washed golden (no gold in adult Lesser Jacana); flanks brown; frontal shield small (not visible in field); crown and hind neck blackish brown (crown rufous in adult Lesser Jacana); black line through eye; buff eyebrow (eyebrow of adult Lesser Jacana white, forehead buff).
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa.
Taxonomy
This species is monotypic.
Habitat
Wetlands with floating vegetation.
Behaviour
The Jacanas are a group of waders in the family Charadriidae. Their huge feet and claws enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
Breeding: The African Jacana breeds throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It is sedentary apart from seasonal dispersion. It lays four black-marked brown eggs in a floating nest. The males, as in some other wader families like the phalaropes, take responsibility for incubation.
