From the family of Rallidae

Many waterbirds ranging from small to medium-sized get classified under the genus of Rallidae sharing the same profile and feeding habits. One such similarity is that almost all species found in Malaysia are associated with wetlands. They are ground birds and most are especially fond of dense vegetation in marshlands.

Most birds have bodies that are short and rounded. Though they are able to fly but not powerful flyers and cannot sustain flights for long period. Given the dense vegetation where they are hiding they often prefer to run rather than fly.  One thing leads to another, with less powerful fight muscles reduces the flightless rail's energy expenditures, makes it easier to survive in habitats where resources may be limited. Most species walk and run vigorously on strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces.

Malaysian Birds

 Jacana

Jacanas, often affectionately dubbed "lily-trotters" for their remarkable ability to traverse floating plants, also go by the moniker "Jesus birds" in Jamaica due to their seemingly miraculous ability to walk on water. These vibrant waterfowl boast long legs and exceptionally elongated toes and claws. The extended toes serve to distribute the bird's weight over a broad surface area, facilitating their graceful walk across floating vegetation, particularly lily pads. Jacanas are characterized by sharp bills, rounded wings—some with carpal spurs—and, in many species, distinctive wattles and frontal lappets on their foreheads.

These avian marvels construct relatively delicate nests on floating vegetation and lay eggs adorned with dark irregular lines, providing effective camouflage amidst water weeds. Intriguingly, female Jacanas weigh only 60 percent more than their male counterparts and can lay numerous successive clutches of eggs within a single breeding season. Once the eggs are laid, the females depart, leaving the males responsible for incubation and caring for the newborn offspring.

The nurturing behavior extends to young chicks, which may be sheltered under the wing and transported to safety by the parent bird. In certain species, both young chicks and adult Jacanas utilize a unique technique of submerging themselves underwater, with only their bills protruding. African Jacanas undergo a simultaneous moult of their flight feathers, rendering them temporarily flightless, a trait linked to their opportunistic breeding in response to rain availability.

The Wattled Jacana in South America engages in a captivating mutualistic relationship with by having ticks directly removed from its body. While most Jacanas have short or non-existent tails, the Tailed Jacana defies the norm with an elongated tail that only grows during the breeding season.

Belonging to the family Jacanidae within the order Charadriiformes, Jacanas are characterized by their distinctive long, straight claws designed for walking on floating vegetation. Some Jacanas, akin to certain plovers, feature wing spurs. The genus Jacana encompasses seven or eight species, including the American jacana found in the tropics of the Americas, the African jacana, the Australian lotus bird from New Guinea and the eastern Australian coast, and the Pheasant-tailed jacana found in India and the Philippines. The latter, a striking black, yellow, and white bird, develops long tail feathers during the breeding season

CHARADRIIFORMES

19 Jacanidae

Jacana