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Pheasant-tailed
Jacana |
Hydrophasianus
chirurgus |
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Species (monotypic); i.e. no subspecies/races
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This
handsome bird, like that last (Bronze-winged
Jacana - Ed), is spread throughout India and Ceylon, in
similar localities, but it perhaps less affects concealment, exposing
itself on the top of some Lotus or floating plants, and when approached
generally flying off and not endeavouring to conceal itself in the
herbage. Some of the males appear to get the breeding plumage very
early, or not to lose it, for I have seen it in February with its
summer vesture, long tail &c. : most of the birds however do not
change till from April to June. It makes a large floating nest of
dried pieces of grass and herbage, sometimes, according to some accounts,
of the stalks of growing rice which it bends downwards and intertwines,
and it lays, in July or August, from four to seven eggs, sometimes
more, of a fine bronze brown or green. It has a loud call, likened
by some to the mewing of a cat, or a kitten in distress, by others
to the distant cry of a hound; an imitaion of the sound is attempted
in the Hindustani names, Piho, and Meewah. The Cingalese, also according
to Layard, call it the Cat-teal. Like the last species, if feeds chiefly
on vegetable matter but also on shells and water insects.
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