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Northern Jacana

Jacana spinosaOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Jacanas (Jacanidae)
Codes: Common Name: NOJA Scientific Name: JACSPI ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176449
Least Concern
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Northern Jacana
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Overview

Northern Jacana: Rail-like relative of plovers and shorebirds; is unique in having extremely long toes. Body is chestnut-brown with black head and neck, and flashy yellow-green flight feathers. Forehead has a fleshy orange-yellow frontal shield arising from base of bill. Weak mothlike flight.


Range and Habitat

Northern Jacana: Found from south Texas to Panama. Found in marshes, flooded fields, and slow-moving waters.

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Topo Map: Sandpiper-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"jik"

Interesting Facts

 The Northern Jacana is very similar to the Wattled Jacana, with which it overlaps in Panama, and was formerly considered conspecific with that form.

 In Jamaica this bird is also known as the 'Jesus bird', as it appears to walk on water.

 They are quarrelsome and often engage in combat with one another, using sharp spurs on the bend of the wing.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

4vdesign

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Range Map for Northern Jacana

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Family
Species Jacana spinosa
Length9 - 10 Inches
Wingspan20 Inches

Northern Jacana

Northern Jacana: Rail-like relative of plovers and shorebirds; is unique in having extremely long toes. Body is chestnut-brown with black head and neck, and flashy yellow-green flight feathers. Forehead has a fleshy orange-yellow frontal shield arising from base of bill. Weak mothlike flight.

● Song: "jik"

● Foraging & Feeding: Northern Jacana: Feeds almost exclusively on insects, but will occasionally take fish. Forages on top of floating vegetation, using its long toes for support while walking; moves rapidly and erratically while gleaning insects from vegetation.

● Breeding & nesting: Northern Jacana: Lays three to five brown eggs with black streaks in a nest made of floating marsh plants, built up just enough to keep the eggs from drowning. Male incubates eggs for 22 to 24 days, and then tends precocial young; female mates with several males each season.

● Similar species: Northern Jacana: None in North America.

Flight Pattern

Slow flight with shallow flaps and glides. Wings held above head briefly upon landing.
Northern Jacana Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Northern Jacana: Found from south Texas to Panama. Found in marshes, flooded fields, and slow-moving waters.
BreedingSolitary nester, Polyandrous
Population
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight2.8 Ounces
Sandpiper-like BodyX
Flight feathersX
Located on the wing, and collectively called remiges (singular, remex). The long stiff feathers are subdivided into two major groups based on the location and are called primaries and secondaries.
Frontal shieldX
The area where the bill extends onto the forehead of the bird. It is often brightly colored and is meant to grab the attention of other birds.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX