Comb-crested Jacana

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Comb-crested Jacana
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea)
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family: Jacanidae Genus: Irediparra Mathews, 1911 Species: I. gallinacea
Binomial name
Irediparra gallinacea (Temminck, 1828)

The Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea), also known as the Lotusbird or Lilytrotter, is the only species of jacana in the genus Irediparra. As with other jacana species, it is adapted to the floating vegetation of tropical freshwater wetlands.

Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution 3 Habitat 4 Food 5 Voice 6 Breeding 7 References

[edit] Description

Unmistakable. Black crown and hindneck with fleshy red wattle covering forehead and forecrown. White face and throat. Broad black band on lower breast with white belly. Underwing black. Back and upperwing mainly grey-brown with black primary coverts, rump and tail. Long legs with extremely long toes. Measurements: length (male) 20-21 cm, (female) 24-27 cm; wingspan 39-46 cm; weight (male) 85 g, (female) 140 g.

[edit] Distribution

South-east Borneo, southern Philippines, Sulawesi, Moluccas, Lesser Sunda Islands, New Guinea, New Britain, northern and eastern Australia.

[edit] Habitat

Freshwater wetlands with abundant floating vegetation, such as water-lilies or water hyacinth, forming a mat on water surface.

[edit] Food

Seeds and aquatic insects gleaned from the floating vegetation or the water surface.

[edit] Voice

Squeaky, high-pitched chittering.

[edit] Breeding

Females polyandrous. Flimsy nest built on floating or emergent vegetation, with clutch of four lustrous, pale brown eggs covered by black markings. Incubation by males only. Young precocial and nidifugous.

[edit] References

• BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: Irediparra gallinacea. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10 February 2007
• Marchant, S.; Higgins, P.J.; & Davies, J.N. (eds). (1994). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553069-1
• National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. (1987). The Shorebirds of Australia. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. ISBN 0-207-15348-5[[Category:Birds of Australia]]