fairies walking over ripples,
Taiwanese water chestnut bird
Features:
The
Pheasant-tailed jacana is about 52cm long and has very long
toes and claws, which are useful for distributing the bird's
body weight to allow it to walk on floating vegetation. The
bird's summer plumage consists of a coffee-brown body; white
head, neck, and wings; and a golden yellow nape bordered by
black. In the winter, their plumage turns brown, their tail
feathers become shorter, and a black stripe extending from their
eye area to the side of their neck becomes apparent, forming
a neck ring around their upper chest. However, their bellies
and the front portion of their necks remain white.
Behavior:
Pheasant-tailed
jacanas feed on aquatic insects and the plankton from water
chestnut fields. A shy and sensitive bird, the Pheasant-tailed
jacana prefers to live in ponds, lakes, marshlands, and water
chestnut fields. Their breeding season begins in late-April
and lasts until mid-October. Pheasant-tailed jacanas practice
polyandry, with a female usually coupling with anywhere from
one to five male birds. Females typically lay a clutch of one
to six eggs, with the males responsible for incubating and protecting
the nestlings while the females are responsible for reproduction
and maintaining the nest. Most male birds only hatch one brood,
and only a few of them can successfully incubate two. The long
legs, toes, and claws of the Pheasant-tailed jacana enable the
bird to perch or walk on floating vegetation. Their graceful
poise and figure, coupled with their long black tails, have
won the bird the Chinese nickname of ling po xian zi, which
literally means "fairies walking over ripples."
Habitat:
Pheasant-tailed
jacanas mainly inhabit the marshlands of tropical and sub-tropical
areas. They are rare resident birds on the island, and Taiwan
is the northernmost region in which they can be found. They
are often seen around ponds with floating vegetation and in
marshlands near plains, as well as in water chestnut fields,
which is why they are also known as the Taiwanese water chestnut
bird.
