This is a pheasant-tailed jacana, Hydrophasianus chirurgus, the only member of its monotypic genus. This bird is a member of the Jacanidae family of wading birds that are readily identifiable by their huge feet and claws that have adapted them well to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, their preferred habitat. Even though the jacanids can swim, they prefer to walk on floating vegetation.
The pheasant-tailed jacana is distinct because it has different plumages for the breeding and non-breeding seasons -- unique in its taxonomic family. This individual is in non-breeding plumage. In breeding plumage, the central tail feathers grow very long, resembling a pheasant's tail, which is how this bird got its common name. On the nape of the neck there is a patch of brilliant, gleaming gold feathers. The wings and underparts are dazzlingly white in flight in both plumages, as you can see in this video. Females are polyandrous and thus, they are slightly larger than the males and have brighter plumage colouring.
These birds are notable for the strong sharp spur on the bend of their wings. Additionally, the first flight-feather ends in a lanceolate (leaf-shaped) appendage, and the fourth and fifth flight-feathers are obviously elongated with an attenuated point. The toes are very long with long claws. All of these characters are visible in this video .
These birds are found on the Indian subcontinent and from Central China through South East Asia, in Afghanistan and as far as Java and the Philippines. They feed on invertebrates, frogs and fish that they catch whilst walking around on floating vegetation and in shallow water.
Jacanas are record holders: they have the longest toes and claws of all the waterbirds. This is what prompts their name of ‘lily-trotter’: the oversized feet of elongated toes distribute their weight in a way that enables them to walk on floating lily leaves; they are even, in some areas, known as the ‘Jesus bird’ as their ability to walk on aquatic vegetation makes it look as though they can walk on water!
They are particularly fascinating for their very rare reproduction system — ‘simultaneous polyandry’;
a female will hold a territory encompassing several males (two to five) and it is only the males who incubate the eggs and take care of the chicks.
bird sound
pakshiyon ki awaz
#birdsounds
