African Jacana – Kazinga Channel, Uganda

Another sighting from a 2017 visit to Uganda: an African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus) spotted along a bank of the Kazinga Channel which connects Lake George and Lake Edward in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park. Unfortunately, we were too far away and the grass a little too high to get a glimpse of its notoriously large feet and dangly claws.

A bit more compiled by the WordPress AI tool (and checked by me):

• Size: The African Jacana measures approximately 23 to 28 cm in length, with a wingspan of 50 to 60 cm.
• Weight: Adult jacanas typically weigh between 150 to 300 grams.
• Habitat: Prefers freshwater wetlands, including swamps, lagoons, and marshes, with abundant floating vegetation.
• Range: Found across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Gambia in the west to Uganda and Tanzania in the east, as well as in parts of southern Africa.
• Behavior: Known for their unique long toes and claws that allow them to walk on floating plants without submerging.
• Diet: Primarily feeds on insects, seeds, and plant matter found in their aquatic habitats.

And a few more links for reference:

• African Jacana at Birds of the World
• African Jacana at BirdLife DataZone
• African Jacana at eBird
• African Jacana at Avibase
• African Jacana at Wikipedia
• African Jacana at iNaturalist

Photo from 30 March 2017. Last post update on 28 August 2025.