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Jacanas

Jacanas, also known as Jesus birds or lily trotters, dwell in tropical regions worldwide and are exceptional for their extended toes and toenails which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in search of food. These tropical waders are interestingly one of the few bird groups where the females are larger and often maintain harems of males, who are responsible for incubating the eggs and caring for the young. Jacanas are visually distinct with their sharp bills, rounded wings, and sometimes with ornamental features like wattles and spurs. Eight living species from six genera are recognized, with several prehistoric species known from fossils. While size differences between males and females are notable, with females being larger, both sexes share similar plumage. Jacanas typically lay camouflaged eggs on unstable nests amidst water plants, and their diet is mainly insectivorous, although some vegetation may be ingested incidentally. Their flight is generally slow and they are mostly non-migratory, except for the pheasant-tailed jacana that moves seasonally from northern regions to warmer areas such as India and Southeast Asia. When it comes to pronunciation, 'jacana' can be spoken in various ways, influenced by its Portuguese and Tupi roots, with different dictionaries suggesting multiple English equivalent pronunciations.

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Accentors
African & Green Broadbills
Albatrosses
Alcippe Fulvettas
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Auks
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Hylocitrea
Ibisbill
Ibises, Spoonbills
Ifrit
Indigobirds, Whydahs
Ioras

Jacanas

Jewel-babblers, Quail-thrushes
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Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Larks
Laughingthrushes & Allies
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Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Magpie Goose
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Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
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Oystercatchers
Painted-snipes
Parrotbills & Allies
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Penduline Tits
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Ploughbill
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Rails, Crakes & Coots
Reed Warblers & Allies
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Sandpipers, Snipes
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Skuas
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
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Sunbirds
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Swifts
Sylviid Babblers
Thrushes
Tits, Chickadees
Treecreepers
Treeswifts
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Typical Broadbills
Vangas & Allies
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Wallcreeper
Waxbills, Munias & Allies
Waxwings
Weavers, Widowbirds
Whipbirds
Whistlers & Allies
White-eyes
Woodpeckers
Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
Wrens
Jayshrike
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Species Categories

AccentorsAfrican & Green BroadbillsAlbatrossesAlcippe FulvettasAnhingas, DartersAsian BarbetsAuksAustral Storm PetrelsAustralasian BabblersAustralasian RobinsAustralasian WarblersAustralasian WrensAustralo-Papuan BellbirdsBabblers, Scimitar BabblersBarn OwlsBee-eatersBirds-of-paradiseBoatbillsBristleheadBulbulsBuntingsBushtitsBustardsButtonquailCaracaras, FalconsCassowaries, EmuCettia Bush Warblers & AlliesChats, Old World FlycatchersCisticolas & AlliesCockatoosCormorants, ShagsCoursers, PratincolesCrab-ploverCranesCrombecs, African WarblersCrows, JaysCuckoosCuckooshrikesCupwingsDippersDrongosDucks, Geese, SwansElachuraFairy FlycatchersFairy-bluebirdsFantailsFigbirds, Orioles, TurnagraFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFlowerpeckersFlufftailsFrigatebirdsFrogmouthsGannets, BoobiesGoldcrests, KingletsGrassbirds & AlliesGrebesGround BabblersGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHoneyeatersHoneyguidesHoopoesHornbillsHylocitreaIbisbillIbises, SpoonbillsIfritIndigobirds, WhydahsIorasJacanasJewel-babblers, Quail-thrushesKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLaughingthrushes & AlliesLeaf Warblers & AlliesLeafbirdsLongspurs, Snow BuntingsMagpie GooseMegapodesMelampittasMonarchsMottled BerryhunterNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOld World ParrotsOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOspreysOwlsOystercatchersPainted-snipesParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPittasPloughbillPloversRail-babblerRails, Crakes & CootsReed Warblers & AlliesRollersSandpipers, SnipesShrikesSittellasSkuasStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbirdsSwallows, MartinsSwiftsSylviid BabblersThrushesTits, ChickadeesTreecreepersTreeswiftsTrogonsTropicbirdsTypical BroadbillsVangas & AlliesVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWallcreeperWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWeavers, WidowbirdsWhipbirdsWhistlers & AlliesWhite-eyesWoodpeckersWoodswallows, Butcherbirds & AlliesWrensJayshrike

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