The jaçanas (sometimes referred to as Jesus birds or lily trotters) are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone. Eight species of jaçana are known from six genera. They 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. They have sharp bills and rounded wings, and many species also have wattles on their foreheads. Their diet consists of inseccdts and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water’s surface.
Jacana is Linnæus' scientific Latin spelling of the Brazilian Portugese jaçanã. That is from a Tupi name of the bird, ñaha'nã.
US dictionaries give various pronunciations:
jah-sə-nah, as well as the anglicised jə-kah-nə, which is the only pronunciation in an Australian dictionary. Wikapedia.
FAMILY: JACANIDAE
Genus: Microparra
Lesser Jacana - Microparra capensis
Genus: Actophilornis
African Jacana - Actophilornis africana
Madagascar Jacana - Actophilornis albinucha
Genus: Irediparra
Comb-crested Jacana - Irediparra gallinacea
Genus: Hydrophasianus
Pheasant-tailed Jacana - Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Genus: Metopidius
Bronze-winged Jacana - Metopidius indicus
Genus: Jacana
Northern Jacana - Jacana spinosa
Wattled Jacana - Jacana jacana