Appearance: A Splash of Crimson and Gold

The Comb-crested Jacana is instantly recognisable, looking almost like a delicate piece of living art.

• The ‘Comb’: Their most striking feature is the fleshy, bright red-to-orange wattle (the ‘comb’) that sits atop their forehead. In moments of excitement or territorial displays, this comb can flush even more vibrantly.
• The Plumage: They sport a sleek black crown and a broad black band across the breast. This contrasts beautifully with their snowy-white throat and face. Their wings and back are a soft, earthy bronze-brown.
• The ‘Walking’ Feet: To the casual observer, their legs look disproportionately long, ending in incredibly elongated toes and claws. These toes are the secret to their success, acting like snowshoes to distribute their weight across floating vegetation.
• Size: They are relatively small birds, usually measuring between 20 to 24 centimetres in length. Interestingly, the females are significantly larger and heavier than the males.

Longevity and Life Cycle

In the wild, the lifespan of a Comb-crested Jacana is generally estimated to be around 8 to 10 years, though they face many challenges from predators and environmental changes.

Their life cycle is one of the most fascinating in the avian world due to their “polyandrous” mating system. In this society, the female is the boss of the territory. She may mate with several different males, laying a clutch of eggs for each of them.

Once the eggs are laid in a flimsy, floating nest, the female’s job is done, and she moves on to the next male. The dedicated father takes over from there, incubating the eggs and raising the chicks entirely on his own.

A Father’s Protection

If you are lucky enough to spot a father with his chicks, you might witness one of nature’s most heart-warming sights. When danger approaches—perhaps a hungry hawk circling above or a large fish splashing nearby—the father lets out a sharp warning call.

The tiny, fluffy chicks run to him, and he tucks them securely under his wings. He will actually lift them up and carry them to safety, with nothing but their spindly little legs dangling out from beneath his feathers!

Habitat and Diet

You will find these birds primarily in freshwater wetlands, lagoons, and swamps where there is an abundance of floating vegetation, particularly water lilies and lotus plants.

• Diet: They are omnivorous foragers. You’ll see them delicately flipping over lily pads with their beaks to find aquatic insects, small molluscs, and seeds.
• Sound: Their call is a high-pitched, metallic ‘pee-pee-pee’, which often cuts through the morning mist of the Australian bush.

Conservation: Protecting the Floating Gardens

While the Comb-crested Jacana is not currently listed as globally threatened, their survival is intimately tied to the health of our wetlands.

In South-East Australia, habitat loss due to land clearing, the drainage of swamps, and the degradation of water quality poses a significant risk. By protecting our freshwater lagoons and ensuring that native water lilies can thrive, we ensure that the ‘Jesus bird’ continues its graceful dance across our waters for generations to come.