Bird Guide

African Jacana vs Bronze-winged Jacana

African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus)

African Jacana

Actophilornis africanus

Medium189 gWetland

The African jacana is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird. It measures 23 to 31 cm (9.1 to 12.2 in) in overall length. As in other jacanas, the female is on average larger than the male. Males can weigh from 115 to 224 g (4.1 to 7.9 oz), averaging 137 g (4.8 oz) and females from 167 to 290 g (5.9 to 10.2 oz), averaging 261 g (9.2 oz). Alongside the similarly-sized Madagascar jacana, this appears to be the heaviest jacana species. They have chestnut upperparts with black wingtips, rear neck, and eyestripe.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Chris Eason · CC BY 2.0
Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus)

Bronze-winged Jacana

Metopidius indicus

Medium155 gWetland

Bronze-winged jacanas are rail-like, large, short tailed birds that appear dark at a distance except for the supercilium. They are 29 cm (11 in) in length. The sexes are similar but the females are slightly larger than the males. The wings are bronzy brown with a green sheen and have a reduced tubercular carpal spur. The head, neck and breast are black and contrast with the broad white supercilium that runs from over the eye to the back of the neck. The lower back and tail coverts are chestnut. The tail is stubby and reddish brown with black terminal band.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Bronze-winged Jacana
Recorded by craig wilson · Call, male returning to nest · Puri (near Kanchisasan), Central Division, Odisha, India · CC BY 4.0
Photo: shrikant rao · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: African Jacana and Bronze-winged Jacana.