The Pheasant- tailed
Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) is a jacana in the monotypic genus
Hydrophasianus. Jacanas are a group of waders in the family Jacanidae
that are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to
walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, their preferred habitat.
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is capable of swimming, although it usually
walks on the vegetation. The females are more colourful than the males
and are polyandrous.
Jacana is one Linnæus' pseudo-Latin misspelling for the Brazilian
Portuguese Jaçanã (from a Tupi name of the same bird) whose
pronunciation is approximately [ža.sa.náN].
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana breeds in India, southeast Asia, and
Indonesia. It is sedentary in much of its range, but northern breeders
from south China and the Himalayas migrate into peninsular India and
southeast Asia. It is also resident in Taiwan, where it is considered
endangered.
Description
This is the only jacana to have a different breeding plumage. The
Pheasant-tailed Jacana is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird. They are
around 31 cm long, with the females larger than the males. During the
breeding season, the long tail adds another 8 cm. The outermost
primaries have a spatulate extension of 2 cm and the seventh primary has
a broad protrusion.
Breeding adults are mainly black other than white wings, head, and
fore neck. The hind neck is golden. There is a striking white eye
stripe. The legs and very long toes are grey.
Non-breeding adults lack the long tail. The under parts are white
except for a brown breast band and neck stripe. The side of the neck is
golden.
Young birds have brown upperparts. The under parts are white, with a
weak brown breast band.
Measurements (From Rasmussen and Anderton): length 310 mm 390-580 mm
(breeding) Wing (with extension of primary) 190-244 mm (adults) 168-228
mm (juveniles) Bill 23-30 mm Tarsus 45-58 mm Tail 194-376 mm (breeding)
110-117 mm (non breeding)
Breeding
These jacanas breed on floating vegetation from March to July. In
southern India, it breeds in the monsoon season, June-September. They
are polyandrous and a female may lay up to 10 clutches. Four
black-marked brown eggs are laid in the floating nests.
Habits
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana's main sources of food are insects and
other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water's
surface.
Their call is a mewing me-onp and a nasal teeun |
