Madagascar Jacana

Quick Take

• The Madagascar jacana flips traditional gender roles in a way most birds never do, a reversal that changes everything about how chicks survive in the wild. Explore the role reversal →
• This bird appears to walk on water, though the biological trick behind it is stranger than it looks. See how it walks on water →
• Madagascar jacana chicks have an unusual escape tactic that most birds their age simply can't pull off. See the chick escape tactics →
• A single land-use change across Madagascar is quietly pushing this species toward extinction, and the surprising part is that most people would consider it a staple of human survival. Discover the key threat →

The Madagascar jacana (Actophilornis albinucha) is a tropical wader endemic to the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Southern Africa. The Madagascar jacana is one of the heaviest jacanas, similar in appearance to the African species. This bird spends its days foraging for insects while walking across floating vegetation. This jacana species is endangered due to a moderately rapid decline in its population, primarily caused by habitat destruction and degradation of its wetland habitat.

5 Amazing Madagascar Jacana Facts

• They are endemic to Madagascar, where they inhabit wetlands.
• The Madagascar jacana is one of the heaviest in its family and looks similar to the African jacana.
• These birds are relatively solitary, preferring to forage alone or in pairs.
• Like other jacanas, the males care for their young, while females engage in a polyandrous mating system.
• The Madagascar jacana is endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of wetlands.

Where to Find the Madagascar Jacana

The Madagascar jacana is endemic to Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Southern Africa. It inhabits the northern and western lowlands of the island and is absent or rare in Central, Southern, and Eastern Madagascar. It lives in freshwater wetlands with abundant aquatic vegetation, especially water lilies. You may also find this species in lakes, ponds, rivers, and marshes. Look for it walking across the water and listen for its sharp calls.

Nests

Males build their nests on floating aquatic vegetation, often partially submerged under the water’s surface. They also add plant material around the eggs to conceal or place them in an area with vegetative coverings. 

Classification and Scientific Name

The Madagascar jacana (Actophilornis albinucha) is a member of the Charadriiformes order, which includes birds that live near water and that eat invertebrates. The Jacanidae family encompasses the jacanas, a group of tropical waders. The Actophilornis genus consists of the Madagascar and African jacanas. Its specific name, albinucha, is New Latin for “white nape,” referring to its white crown and hindneck.

Size, Appearance, & Behavior

The Madagascar jacana is a large bird, one of the heaviest in its family. However, its exact measurements are not well documented. It is similar in size and appearance to the African jacana, which weighs between four and ten ounces, measures nine to twelve inches, and has a 20-inch wingspan. Its body and wings are a chestnut color with a black face, chin, and throat. Its crown and hindneck are white with black flecks, and its frontal shield is light blue. Both sexes have similar coloring, but the females are larger, with longer tails and wings. They exhibit sharp calls when quarreling and a longer sequenced trill when displaying. These birds are relatively solitary, often spotted alone or in pairs. However, they may form small groups outside the breeding season. Like other jacanas, this species is a weak flyer, preferring to walk in its wetland habitat. 

Migration Pattern and Timing

The Madagascar jacana does not migrate. It is a year-round resident in its wetland environment.

Diet

The Madagascar jacana is an omnivore that forages on floating vegetation.

What Does the Madagascar Jacana Eat?

Jacanas eat insects, larvae, invertebrates, and seeds from aquatic plants. With its head and bill lowered, it picks insects from plant roots. They forage by walking across the water on vegetation, using their long legs, enormous feet, and elongated toes to steady themselves. They do not feed in groups. Instead, you will often find them alone, with their young, or occasionally in a pair.

Predators, Threats, and Conservation Status

The IUCN lists the Madagascar jacana as EN or “endangered.” They qualify for this status due to their small population undergoing a moderately rapid decline. Their biggest threats include the degradation of their wetland environments and illegal hunting. Freshwater wetlands are highly threatened in Madagascar because of their conversion to rice paddies. They have been living in altered habitats, like nearby lakes, but it’s unclear how long they can survive in modified environments.

What Eats the Madagascar Jacana?

The Madagascar jacana’s predators include crocodiles, birds of prey, otters, large fish, turtles, and water snakes. These birds have sharp wing spurs and will use them to defend themselves. Their young are especially vulnerable to nest predators, but they learn to dive underwater at a young age. Males will also carry their chicks under their wings to bring them to safety.

Reproduction, Young, and Molting

Breeding can happen year-round, but most often occurs from December to June. Like most jacanas, the Madagascar jacana displays sociosexual role reversal and participates in a polyandrous mating system. Females defend the territory and copulate with multiple males, distributing egg clutches among at least two or three mates. Males are the sole caregivers to their young and take care of all duties, including nest building, incubation, brooding, and rearing. Females lay four olive-colored eggs with dark markings, and males incubate for 22 to 28 days. It is not known when their young fledge the nest and become independent. Their average lifespan is 4.6 years, but they can live up to 10.

Population

As of 2020, the Madagascar jacana’s global population is 975 to 2,064, which equates to 780 to 1,643 mature individuals. While they are not experiencing extreme fluctuations or fragmentations, their numbers are declining and they are becoming increasingly rare in their habitats. This moderate decline is due to habitat degradation and hunting pressure.