Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Materials on this page were provided by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Frank Fragano,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, Silvia Centrón, José Luis Cartes, Kevin Guest (bushbirds.co.uk) and Teatske Nieuborg and are used with their permission.
WATTLED JACANA Jacana jacana
You may know the jacanas (Jacanidae) by their colloquial name of "Lily-trotters", which stems from their ability to walk on floating vegetation as they feed. To assist them in this practice the jacanas have long legs with exceedingly long toes (FPAVE477PH) which act to spread their weight so much that they can perform their "walking on water" trick without fear of sinking. There is only one species in Paraguay and he is common throughout the country. He may look drab when at rest, but as he bursts into flight the bright yellow flight feathers are eyecatching.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPAVE474PH) Adult, Estancia Laguna Blanca, Departamento San Pedro (Hemme Batjes November 2005).
FIGURE 2 - (FPAVE475PH) Adult frontal view, location unknown (Frank Fragano 2005).
FIGURE 3 - (FPAVE476PH) Pair, Centre de Recherche, Ruta Trans-Chaco km 293 (Paul Smith October 2007).
FIGURE 4 - (FPAVE477PH) Adult showing long toes, Bahía de Asunción, Departamento Central (Arne Lesterhuis undated).
FIGURE 5 - (FPAVE478PH) Same individual head detail (Arne Lesterhuis undated).
FIGURE 6 - (FPAVE479PH) Pair mating, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Silvia Centrón February 2008).
FIGURE 7 - (FPAVE480PH) Juvenile, location unknown (José Luis Cartes undated).
FIGURE 8 - (FPAVE481PH) Same individual (José Luis Cartes undated).
FIGURE 9 - (FPAVE482PH) Juvenile, Buffalo Bill´s, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith October 2007).
FIGURE 10 - (FPAVE3194PH) Juvenile, Buffalo Bill´s, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Kevin Guest February 2012).
FIGURE 11 - (FPAVE483PH) Chick, Bahía de Asunción, Departamento Central (Alberto Esquivel undated).
FIGURE 12 - (FPAVE484PH) Same individual (Alberto Esquivel undated).
FIGURE 13 - (FPAVE485PH) Nest, Bahía de Asunción, Departamento Central (Arne Lesterhuis undated).
FIGURE 14 - (FPAVE486PH) Juveniles in flight, Bahía de Asunción, Departamento Central (Teatske Nieuborg 2007).
VIDEO A - (FPAVE487VI) Same pair as (FPAVE476PH)  (Paul Smith October 2007).
VIDEO B - (FPAVE488VI) Adult, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith November 2010).
FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5

FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6

FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7

FIGURE 7
FIGURE 8

FIGURE 8
FIGURE 9

FIGURE 9
FIGURE 10

FIGURE 10
FIGURE 11

FIGURE 11
FIGURE 12

FIGURE 12
FIGURE 13

FIGURE 13
FIGURE 14

FIGURE 14