The African jacana is also known as the "lilytrotter" because it walks on top of water lilies and other vegetation with its long toes.
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| Note the large toes on the foot pulled up out of the water. |
They have chestnut underparts; black wingtips, crown, rear neck and eye stripe; a light-blue bill with a coot-like upper shield; gray legs and toes; and white neck and upper chest turning into a golden yellow.
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| The light blue bill and shield and golden-yellow upper chest are visible. |
They feed on insects floating on top of the vegetation on the water, or the water itself. It is found in wetlands throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
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| This is not a great picture, but it shows the habitat of grasses inundated with water and lily pads. |
We saw them in the Okavanga Delta of Botswana while we were in a motor boat on a river.
Seeing them in your photos highlights their camouflage--blue heads like the water, yellow throats like the glare of the sun, brown backs like the dry reeds or dirt.
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