Species guide
African Jacana: how to recognise it
A bird of Africa. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Chris Scott · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Actophilornis africanus
- Family
- Jacanas
- Size
- About 28–31 cm
- Habitat
- Lily-covered lakes and marshes
- Found in
- Africa
The key marks
A chestnut body, a white face and neck, a blue shield on the forehead and very long toes.
Voice
A harsh, croaking “krrrk”.
Good to know
The male incubates the eggs and carries chicks under his wings when threatened.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in lily-covered lakes and marshes. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.