The bronze-winged jacana is a wader in the family Jacanidae. It is found across South and Southeast Asia and is the sole species in the genus Metopidius. Like other jacanas it forages on lilies and other floating aquatic vegetation, using its long feet and legs for balance. The sexes are alike but females are slightly larger and are polyandrous, maintaining a harem of males during the breeding season in the monsoon rains. Males maintain territories, with one male in the harem chosen to incubate the eggs and take care of the young. When threatened, young chicks may be carried to safety by the male under his wings.
Region
South and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across the Indian Subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia in freshwater wetlands with abundant floating vegetation. It favors shallow lakes, village tanks, marshes, oxbow ponds, and rice paddies. The species requires dense mats of water lilies, lotus, or hyacinth for foraging and nesting. It avoids fast-flowing rivers and very open deep water. Breeding peaks during monsoon periods when water levels and vegetation cover increase.
Altitude Range
0–1600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This jacana is notable for its polyandrous system, where larger females maintain harems and males incubate the eggs and carry chicks under their wings. Exceptionally long toes let it walk on floating vegetation without sinking. Its wings flash a bronzy-green sheen in flight, and it often breeds with the onset of monsoon rains. Chicks are precocial and can hide among lily leaves within hours of hatching.
A comparison of the wing bones
A bare nest on a Victoria amazonica leaf
Mating pair
Bronze-winged jacana (Metopidius indicus) immature, Chambal River, Uttar Pradesh, India. This composite of 8 sequential images shot over 30 seconds shows the bird dealing with a grasshopper.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with dangling legs
Social Behavior
Polyandrous: females may maintain multiple males, with one male incubating and rearing the brood. Nests are simple platforms of plant material anchored on floating leaves. Males are strongly territorial during breeding, while nonbreeding birds may gather loosely at rich feeding sites. Chicks are capable of swimming and are sometimes carried under the male’s wings when threatened.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are sharp, metallic yelps and squeals, often given in bursts during territorial chases. Also emits clear piping notes over wetlands, especially at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Glossy dark slaty-brown to blackish body with metallic bronze-green sheen on the wings; contrasting white supercilium and hindneck line. Juveniles are paler brown above with whitish underparts and lack the facial shield.
Diet
Feeds on aquatic insects, beetles, larvae, small mollusks, and other invertebrates picked from leaves and water surfaces. Also takes seeds and tender plant parts from lilies and other floating vegetation. Forages methodically by walking on leaf mats and occasionally probing at the edges.
Preferred Environment
Most often seen on dense mats of lotus, water lily, and water hyacinth, and along the margins of shallow ponds and marshes. Will also use flooded fields and quiet backwaters with scattered emergent plants.
