Bronze-Winged Jacanas | Story of Bronze-Winged Jacana

The Bronze-Winged Jacanas are commonly found across the lowlands of South-East Asia. They typically inhabit wetlands with calm water and expanses of low-lying aquatic vegetation, which provide them with an unimpeded view of the neighborhood.

The jacanas are colourful birds with long legs and long and wide toes that spread the bird’s weight across a larger area, enabling them to walk with ease across buoyant leaves while gleaning insects, snails, worms, fish and the seeds of water lilies.

Like all water birds, Jacanas spend a lot of time keeping their feathers clean. Clean feathers help keep the birds light and warm.

The breeding season starts after the rains. The jacanas show an extreme reversal of sex-roles, with the female bird mating with multiple males, and the receiver male is left with the responsibility of incubation of the eggs and taking care of the young chicks, all by himself.

The receiver male bird nestles the eggs between his wings, hugging them close to his body for warmth. Once the eggs are hatched, the chicks peck their way out of the shells. Jacana chicks are fluffy, striped, and precocial. They are able to walk, swim, and dive a few hours after hatch, so the male teaches them how to forage right away. Mere fluff balls with huge toes, the young jacanas follow their father to the latter’s favourite feeding places, and climb under his wings when it’s cold or raining.

The chicks are born into a dangerous world exposed to aquatic predators. Upon sensing danger, a warning call from the father will send older chicks scurrying to hiding places while younger ones will assume cover under their father’s wings, and are whisked away to safety. If there’s a threat the father cannot handle by himself, a more intense alarm will summon the larger female to his side, and together they ensure the safety of their chicks.

The chicks become independent of their father when they are about ten weeks old.

Father and his fluff balls - Story of Bronze-Winged Jacana