Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Hydrophasianus chirurgus
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) is a uncommon jacana found in 25 countries, weighing about 160 g. The pheasant-tailed jacana is a jacana in the monotypic genus Hydrophasianus.
About the Pheasant-tailed Jacana
The pheasant-tailed jacana is a jacana in the monotypic genus Hydrophasianus. Like all other jacanas, they have elongated toes and nails that enable them to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, their preferred habitat. They may also swim or wade in water reaching their body while foraging mainly for invertebrate prey. They are found in tropical Asia from Yemen in the west to the Philippines in the east and move seasonally in parts of their range. They are the only jacanas that migrate long distances and have different non-breeding and breeding plumages. The pheasant-tailed jacana forages by swimming or by walking on aquatic vegetation. Females are larger than males and are…
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How to identify it
The pheasant-tailed jacana is conspicuous and unmistakable. It is the longest species in the jacana family when the tail streamers are included. The breeding plumage is marked by the elongated central tail feathers that given the bird its name. The body is chocolate brown, the face is white, and the back of the crown is black with white stripes running down the sides of the neck, separating the white of the front of neck and the silky golden yellow of the nape. The wings are predominantly white.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Northern Mariana Islands.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Pheasant-tailed Jacana?
- The pheasant-tailed jacana is conspicuous and unmistakable. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Pheasant-tailed Jacana?
- The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is a medium sized bird weighing about 160 g.
- Where can you see a Pheasant-tailed Jacana?
- The Pheasant-tailed Jacana occurs in 25 countries, including India, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia.
- What birds look similar to a Pheasant-tailed Jacana?
- The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is most easily confused with the African Jacana, the Bronze-winged Jacana and the Comb-crested Jacana.
- Is the Pheasant-tailed Jacana endangered?
- The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Pheasant-tailed Jacana for real
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