diagnostics
15-16 cm, 41 g. Sexes alike in plumage colouration but female slightly larger. A diminutive subtropical jacana, easily confused with half-grown chicks of the far more abundant and widespread African Jacana Actophilornis africanus. Forehead golden, with crown and nape rufous and gradually becoming black on the lower nape. Side of face white. Broad white supercilium with brown eye-stripe below. Mantle, back and wing coverts mottled brown. Underparts white. Flanks rich chestnut but normally concealed by folded wing. Primaries and secondaries black with secondaries having a white trailing edge only visible in flight. Underwing coverts black. Eyes brown. Bill pale brown. Legs and feet greenish grey (Tarboton 2005).
trophic
The species is highly localised, showing a preference for shallow water around the edges of permanent and seasonally flooded wetlands, with areas of sparse sedges such as Rhynchosporia, Eliocharis, Cyperus and Juncus spp. (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The Lesser Jacana is sometimes the subject of aggression from the larger African Jacana which may displace or even pursue it (Tarboton 1997). A density of 22 birds/100 ha was recorded by Tarboton and Fry (1986) although Tarboton (1997) makes mention that most pans are home to at most one or two pairs. The species is a sporadic and unpredictable monogamous breeder at waterbodies where there is good grass or sedge cover (Tarboton 2001). Egg-laying occurs in most months, peaking in March-April; 2-4 eggs are laid (Tarboton 2001). A generation length of 4.8 years is provided by BirdLife International (2014). The Lesser Jacana is primarily insectivorous, and forages while walking on floating vegetation, by pecking and scissoring small insects off plant surfaces with its bill, or occasionally climbing stems (Tarboton 2005).
