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To the Beauty of Birds

The Wattled Jacana (Jacana jacana) is a wader which is a resident breeder from western Panama and Trinidad south through most of South America east of the Andes.

The jacanas are a group of wetland birds, which are identifiable by their huge feet and claws that enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone.

These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are 6.7–9.1 in long, but the females are larger than the males. The adults have a chestnut back and wing coverts, with the rest of the body mainly black. In flight the greenish yellow flight feathers are obvious. The yellow bill extends up as a red coot-like head shield and a reddish wattle, and the legs and very long toes are dull blue-grey. There is a long sharp spur on the bend of the wing.

These photos were taken at the Agriculture Station, Trinidad

Wattled Jacana

Whattled Jacana-1039

Whattled Jacana-1051

Whattled Jacana-1033