The animal kingdom is home to a wide variety of unusual beings, many of whom are unknown to the general public. If you’ve never heard of the African Jacana before, you’re in for a treat because you’re about to gain some knowledge on a bird that can be both cute and eerie simultaneously! The family Jacanidae is home to eight species of jacanas, and the African jacana is one of those species. It is a tropical bird that mostly lives in wetland habitats and can typically be found in sub-Saharan Africa.
These creatures often referred to as “Jesus birds,” can walk on water or, at the very least, create the idea that they can do so.
They can walk easily on floating plants thanks to their long, slender legs and vast feet and toes, which may reach a length of up to 7 centimeters (2.75 inches).
Because African Jacanas do not often take to the air and spend most of their life on the water, they have been given the apt moniker of “lily-trotters.”
Not only do these animals thrive above water, but they also do well when they are submerged. They are exceptionally skilled divers and rely heavily on this ability to protect them from potential threats.
Polyandry is a highly unconventional method of mating that jacanas practice. It indicates that females have sexual relations with more than one male and that the males are responsible for raising the young offspring.
Even though males are responsible for guarding the young, the females are in charge of defending the area because of their significantly larger size.
Male jacanas typically raise their young alone. Thus they have a lot of experience doing it. Their trademark move for guarding the young is to tuck them right beneath their wings with the feet sticking out in front of them.
Although it is a sweet and clever approach to shield the defenseless chicks, the fathers of the young birds appear to have an abnormally large number of legs.
It’s a little unsettling. A handful of fortunate photographers have captured this one-of-a-kind moment on camera.
