From Opus

Jacana spinosa

Photo by Reini
Location: Costa Rica

[edit] Identification

17–23cm, females are larger than the males. Chestnut back and wing coverts, black body, green yellow flight feathers, yellow bill, legs and very long toes.

[edit] Distribution

Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, and the West Indies.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies¹

• J. s. gymnostoma - N Mexico to Chiapas, Yucatán Peninsula and Cozumel I.
• J. s. spinosa - Belize and Guatemala to w Panama
• J. s. violacea - Cuba, Isle of Pines, Jamaica and Hispaniola

[edit] Habitat

Shallow lakes.

[edit] Behaviour

4 black-marked brown eggs are laid in a floating nest and are incubated by the male. The females are polyandrous, and will help to defend the nests of up to four mates.

Diet includes insects, other invertebrates and seeds picked from the floating vegetation or the water's surface.

[edit] References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

[edit] External Links