Bronze-winged Jacana

Metopidius indicus (Latham, 1790)

Bronze-winged Jacana, Metopidius indicus, is a jacana of inland India through Vietnam and the northern Malay Peninsula, with non-breeding records from Java. It belongs to the family Jacanidae and is the only species in its genus. It is a wader associated with floating aquatic plants, where it uses its long feet and legs for balance. The sexes look alike, though females are a little larger. During the breeding season, males hold territories, one male incubates the eggs and cares for the young, and chicks may be carried beneath the male’s wings when danger threatens.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Jacanidae — Jacanas

Breeding range

Oriental Region: inland India to Vietnam and n Malay Pen.

Nonbreeding range

to Java (rare)