About Jacana spinosa (Linnaeus, 1758)
The northern jacana, scientifically named Jacana spinosa (Linnaeus, 1758), is a medium-sized wader with long legs and elongated toes. Its total body length ranges from 21.5 to 24 cm (8.5 to 9.4 inches). Females are noticeably larger than males: average breeding female weight is 161 g (5.7 oz), while average male weight is 91 g (3.2 oz). This species has a chestnut-maroon body, paired with black coloring on the head, neck, and breast. Both its bill and the fleshy shield at the base of its forehead are bright yellow; the upper mandible has a white base at its base. In flight, its yellowish-green primary and secondary wing feathers become visible, as well as yellow bony spurs along the leading edge of the wings. These spurs are used by the bird to defend itself and its offspring. Newly hatched jacana chicks are covered in down, with patterned plumage in orange, multiple shades of brown, black, and patches of white. Older chicks are gray overall, with brownish coloration on their upper parts. Juvenile northern jacanas have a white supercilium and white lores. The northern jacana’s main range extends from Mexico to Panama, though it occasionally travels into the southern United States; vagrant individuals have been recorded in locations including Arizona. It inhabits areas with floating vegetation in swamps, marshes, and ponds.
