Actophilornis africanus
Often seen walking across floating vegetation or the backs of hippos with its exceptionally long toes, the African Jacana is a species closely associated with permanent or seasonally flooded wetlands, pans, dams, ponds and rivers, with floating vegetation (especially waterlilies) and densely vegetated banks for cover. African Jacanas forage singly, in pairs or in family groups, sometimes gathering in small flocks, feeding on insects, worms, crustaceans and molluscs.
Male African Jacanas are highly territorial and, unlike most other kinds of birds, it is the male that is responsible for incubating the eggs and rearing the chicks – the female departs to find another mate as soon as the eggs have been laid, mating with several males over the course of the breeding season. While breeding has been recorded throughout the year there is a definite peak in the summer months. Three to five eggs are laid precariously on a platform of clammy plant material set down on floating vegetation, and incubated by the male alone for just over 3 weeks. The male then looks after the chicks for the next two months until they become independent. When they are small, the male picks up the chicks under his wings and carries them around. At an average of 140g, the male African Jacana is considerably more lightly built than the female (average 230g).
With a stable population, estimated at a million birds, distributed over most of Sub-Saharan Africa,Ā the IUCN considers the African Jacana as being of least concern. In South Africa they occur widely and commonly in Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Kwazulu-Natal, is less commonly encountered in the Free State, North West, Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces, and almost entirely absent from the Northern Cape.
Interesting! The ‘Wattled Jacana’ -Jacana Jacana lives here in Ecuador…
not a good shot, but here’s another big foot:
https://playamart.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/p1340914-posa-honda.jpg?w=529&h=268
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The family resemblance is certainly very clear, Lisa! š
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What a great looking creature! š š Looks like he’s wearing his overcoat.
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They’re certainly a striking feature of any water body that they occupy here in South Africa.
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I agree…I have never seen a bird with such long toes either….looks like branches on a tree! I would be tripping over my own feet all of the time.
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Maybe that’s why they live on the water, so they don’t hurt themselves when they trip! š
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This is so interesting about the male doing the nesting and rearing of the babies, while the mama goes off and does her thing! Amazing.
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Very unusual arrangement in the animal world, isn’t it Lois?
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Fine looking bird! Thanks for providing the mating, incubating and chick-rearing habits in your posts — always something new to learn about our beautiful planet.
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Glad to know you found this post so interesting, Lindy!
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Very beautiful bird! And good shots, Dries. š I have never seen a bird with such long toes. š
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Thanks, John – Those long toes gives this species its Afrikaans name: Langtoon!
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