Learn what every symbol on the card means.Full credits and sources at beakbrain.com/symbols
WetlandScrapeMedium · 160 g
ID tip
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.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Pheasant-tailed Jacana
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Pheasant-tailed Jacana
The map shades 24 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Northern Mariana Islands.
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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
African JacanaActophilornis africanusThe African jacana is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird.
Bronze-winged JacanaMetopidius indicusBronze-winged jacanas are rail-like, large, short tailed birds that appear dark at a distance except for the supercilium.
Comb-crested JacanaIrediparra gallinaceaThis species is unmistakable.
Side by side: Bronze-winged Jacana vs Pheasant-tailed Jacana · African Jacana vs Pheasant-tailed Jacana · Comb-crested Jacana vs Pheasant-tailed Jacana · Lesser Jacana vs Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Learn the Pheasant-tailed Jacana in the BeakBrain App
Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
Play today's Daily BirdEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.