About the Northern Jacana
The northern jacana or northern jaçana is a wader which is known as a resident breeder from coastal Mexico to western Panama, and on Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is sometimes known to breed in Texas, United States, and has also been recorded on several occasions as a vagrant in Arizona. The jacanas are a group of wetland birds, which are identifiable by their huge feet and claws, which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. In Jamaica, this bird is also known as the 'Jesus bird', as it appears to walk on water.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Jacanas (Jacanidae) |
| Species | Jacana spinosa |
| Species Codes | norjac, NOJA |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Northern Jacana belong to?
The Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) belongs to the Jacanas family (Jacanidae), in the order Charadriiformes.
How can I identify the Northern Jacana?
The northern jacana or northern jaçana is a wader which is known as a resident breeder from coastal Mexico to western Panama, and on Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is sometimes known to breed in Texas, United States, and has also been recorded on several occasions as a vagrant in ...
Where can I report a Northern Jacana sighting?
You can log sightings of Northern Jacana on eBird (ebird.org) using species code norjac, or on iNaturalist.