African jacana

bird

Also known as: Actophilornis africanus

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Last updated

July 22, 2026

Quick Summary

The African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) is a species of water bird belonging to the family Jacanidae. These birds are characterized by their long legs and exceptionally long toes with straight claws, which allow them to walk on floating vegetation.12

Jacanas are found in tropical freshwater marshes and ponds. The African jacana is one of seven or eight species within the genus Jacana.21

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jacana
…variably black or reddish; the African jacana (Actophilornis africanus); the Australian lotus bird (Irediparra gallinacea) of New Guinea and the eastern Australian coast; and the pheasant-tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus), of India and the Philippines, a handsome black, yellow, and white bird that acquires long tail feathers in breeding season.
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…variably black or reddish; the African jacana (Actophilornis africanus); the Australian lotus bird (Irediparra gallinacea) of New Guinea and the eastern Australian coast; and the pheasant-tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus), of India and the Philippines, a handsome black, yellow, and white bird that acquires long tail feathers in breeding season.
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