The Hydrophasianus chirurgus (scientific name) or pheasant-tailed jacana is a wading bird found in India, Indonesia and South-East Asia. But it has also been spotted in Taiwan and as a vagrant in Australia. 15-23 inches in length, this bird has very distinct plumage. The forehead, face, throat and outer wings are white. The back of the neck till the shoulders is golden. The upperparts are coffee-brown and the underside, chest, belly and tail are black. It has elongated downward curved tail feathers. Its diet is comprised of insects and invertebrates which it forages for in the water from the floating vegetation. Polyandrous in nature, an average clutch has 4 eggs laid in floating nests, and incubated for 22-24 days. Its IUCN listing is the LEAST CONCERN.
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
