Home › Aves › Jacanidae › Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus)
SPECIES PROFILE
Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus)
Hydrophasianus
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
DIET
Omnivorous
HABITAT
Wetlands marshes lakes with vegetation
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Charadriiformes
FAMILY
Jacanidae
GENUS
Hydrophasianus
📋 Description
SIZE
39-58 cm long with tail 100-150 g
COLORATION
Brown with long pheasant-like tail in breeding white face yellow neck
ADAPTATIONS
Long toes for walking on floating vegetation
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Wetlands marshes lakes with vegetation
DIET
Omnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
REPRODUCTION
Lays 4 eggs in floating nests incubated 20-24 days by males
DIET DETAILS
Insects seeds aquatic plants
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Wetland drainage pesticide use
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Lily Walkers: Pheasant-tailed Jacanas stride with 120-gram bodies eating 30 grams of insects daily in Bharatpur's wetlands. Their long tails are striking.
2
Polyandrous Breeders: These jacanas cover 3000 sq km in Odisha's marshes with males incubating eggs. Habitat loss threatens their nesting sites.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan
Chilika Lake in Odisha
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March Dry season concentrates food for spotting jacanas
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch pheasant-tailed jacanas walking on lily pads
