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Pheasant-Tailed Jacana


Pheasant-Tailed Jacana
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4842] (14380)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-01-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 1D Mark II, Canon EF 300mm f2.8 USM IS
Exposure: f/4, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-15 6:43
Viewed: 432
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this Pheasant-tailed Jacana a couple of years ago. The weather was so bad we came home early. This was taken between bouts of torrential rain - it was only pouring down!!

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) is a jacana in the monotypic genus Hydrophasianus. Jacanas are a group of waders in the family Jacanidae that are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, their preferred habitat. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is capable of swimming, although it usually walks on the vegetation. The females are more colourful than the males and are polyandrous.

Jacana is one Linnæus' pseudo-Latin misspelling for the Brazilian Portuguese Jaçanã (from a Tupi name of the same bird) whose pronunciation is approximately [ža.sa.náN].

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana breeds in India, southeast Asia, and Indonesia. It is sedentary in much of its range, but northern breeders from south China and the Himalayas migrate into peninsular India and southeast Asia. It is also resident in Taiwan, where it is considered endangered.

This is the only jacana to have a different breeding plumage. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird. They are around 31 cm long, with the females larger than the males. During the breeding season, the long tail adds another 8 cm. The outermost primaries have a spatulate extension of 2 cm and the seventh primary has a broad protrusion.

Breeding adults are mainly black other than white wings, head, and fore neck. The hind neck is golden. There is a striking white eyestripe. The legs and very long toes are grey.

Non-breeding adults lack the long tail. The underparts are white except for a brown breast band and neck stripe. The side of the neck is golden.

Young birds have brown upperparts. The underparts are white, with a weak brown breast band.

Measurements (From Rasmussen and Anderton): length 310 mm 390-580 mm (breeding) Wing (with extension of primary) 190-244 mm (adults) 168-228 mm (juveniles) Bill 23-30 mm Tarsus 45-58 mm Tail 194-376 mm (breeding) 110-117 mm (non breeding)

These jacanas breed on floating vegetation from March to July. In southern India, it breeds in the monsoon season, June-September. They are polyandrous and a female may lay up to 10 clutches. Four black-marked brown eggs are laid in the floating nests.

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana's main sources of food are insects and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water's surface.

Their call is a mewing me-onp and a nasal teeun
eqshannon, Evelynn, uleko, jaycee, meyerd, Gert-Paassen, boreocypriensis, CeltickRanger, zulfu, rcrick, albert has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To CeltickRanger: Not a pheasantJamesp 1 07-15 22:25
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Critiques [Translate]

The size of the leaves as opposed the aviary is remarkable. I didn't even see the bird in thumb...very neat observation Sometimes small things get over looked and not on purpose!
Bob

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2468 W: 168 N: 7464] (23588)
  • [2008-07-15 9:14]

Hello James,
What a lovely capture of this Jacana in its favourite environment. Great focus and sharp details also of the beautiful leaves. A very nice composition!
Many thanks and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1788 W: 8 N: 4639] (15001)
  • [2008-07-15 10:29]

Hi James,

A beautiful sight! I have never seen leaves like this and the Jacana is a new bird for me. The combination is excellent - the bird looks so small next to the leaf. Even though we see him from afar we have a good view of him. Wonderful colors, excellent details and a superb composition.

Jane

  • Great 
  • GaryT Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 83 W: 4 N: 171] (902)
  • [2008-07-15 11:59]

Wonderful environmental shot. Bird's colors work well with the ambience. Gary

  • Great 
  • meyerd Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 388 W: 63 N: 1144] (3523)
  • [2008-07-15 12:02]

Hi James,
highly interesting and well presented, this pond with all the leaves, waterdrops and almost hidden the interesting Jacana. Thanks for prtesenting the shot on TN.
Best regards
Dietrich

Hello James,

great shot of this bird in his natural habitat.

I like the pov.

Gert

hello James

first in your thumbnail i saw plant leafs
and then in the tilte i read « Pheasant »,
i said to myself « a plant named pheasant ! ? »
excellent shot with fine POV and DOF,
i have never seen leaves like this too,
and i am learning on a new speecies of Pheasant,

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 0 N: 95] (585)
  • [2008-07-16 0:24]

Hello James, splendid shot of this bird. TFS. Regards,
Mehmet

Hi James my dear friend,
A splendid shot and also composition of this beautiful bird, Pheasant-tailed Jacana which is new for me. TFS.
Cheers,

Bayram

Hi James,

What a great shot of this little Jacana in its natural environment, those leaves really do dwarf this little creature, and I love the way the light falls on the pools of water, excellent d.o.f, really well framed and composed, all the best,

Cheers Rick :)

Hello James
Superb compo on both the bird and the leaves with excellent DOF
Well done
Albert

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 927 W: 4 N: 2317] (10792)
  • [2008-07-16 20:48]

Hello James, I like the composition of the natural system. Excellent lighting. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2613 W: 133 N: 7504] (23403)
  • [2008-07-17 3:54]

Hello James,
A nice capture despite the torrential rain!
This Pheasant-tailed Jacana is well seen among the lily pads and the pools of rain on them.
TFS,
Ivan

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