What is the behavior of the African jacana?
BEHAVIOUR: The African Jacana feeds on aquatic insects and larvae, worms, snails and other arthropods. It may take seeds sometimes, when it forages on open cultivated areas. It searches for preys by walking on the floating vegetation, thanks to the very long toes which spread the weight of its body over larger area.
What are some interesting facts about the African jacana?
The super-long toes spread the bird’s weight over a large area. This allows them to walk across floating vegetation, especially lily pads. Jacanas often appear to be walking on the water itself! They are also good swimmers and divers, and can journey through open water from one area of vegetation to another.
What is the mating system of the African jacana?
African jacanas breed throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It is sedentary apart from seasonal dispersion. It lays four black-marked brown eggs in a floating nest. The jacana has evolved a highly unusually polyandrous mating system, meaning that one female mates with multiple males and the male alone cares for the chicks.
What is the parental care of the African jacana?
In African jacanas all parental care is by males. The male’s daytime attendance of the nest (= incubation constancy) averages 53% and is characterized by frequent, short ‘on’ and ‘off shifts in which he leaves the nest, on average, 35 times per day.
Leave a Reply