Wattled jacana

Adults have chestnut-colored back and wings, with the rest of the body mostly black. Their bills are yellow. A red, fleshy shield reaches from the beak to the forehead, and reddish wattles hang near the base of the bill. Their legs and toes are long, thin and bluish gray, and they move with a high-stepping gait when walking. 

Juveniles' coloring includes brown upperparts, white underparts, and a pale stripe above the eye. Chicks are patterned in camouflage tones of buff, brown, and black.  

Adults average around 10 inches (25 centimeters) long. Females are often larger than males.

Wetlands and freshwater ecosystems in South America. They can also be found in Trinidad and Panama.

Jacanas call frequently to each other while flying or foraging. They will deliver a very loud “kak” call when predators are nearby.

Wattled jacanas mainly eat invertebrates like insects, worms, small crustaceans, snails, and mollusks. They also eat fruit and the seeds of aquatic plants. While foraging, they use their pointy beaks to flip and tug at leaves and lily pads. 

 Diurnal; active during the day and sleep at night. 

Social groups are centered around one female and several males. Females fight each other over control of these groups, which are called harems. 

Unlike many other bid species, male jacanas do virtually all of the incubating and chick-rearing, with no help from the female. Rather than sitting on the eggs in the usual way, a male holds two eggs tucked under each wing against his body to keep them warm — a behavior called "wing-brooding." Females lay eggs in floating nests made from mats of vegetation, and will protect their nests by fighting rival females. After about 22-28 days, the eggs hatch. Although helpless for a short while, chicks can walk and forage after just two or three days. 

Because they are common and widespread throughout South America’s tropical wetlands, wattled jacanas do not have any special legal protection. However, some populations are threatened by habitat loss as human development expands into previously isolated forests and wetlands.