Suur-lootoselind, Jacana africana

Suurte varvastega suur-lootoselind putukaid ja pisikesi vähkisid otsimas uMkhuze looduskaitsealal, LAV-s. 

Nende lindude puhul on huvitav see, et emased isendid on ligikaudu kaks korda suuremad kui isased. Ning kuna lootoselindude munad ja tibud on meelistoidus nii madudele, saarmatele, mangustidele kui ka röövlindudele, siis liigi püsimajäämiseks muneb emane igal hooajal mitu (kuni 30) pesatäit mune. Reeglina on partneriks erinevad isased.

African Jacana or Lily-trotter with its big toes searching for insects and small crustaceans in uMkhuze Game Reserve, Mkuze, South Africa.

With these birds it is interesting that the female is almost twice as large as the male. And as the eggs and chicks of the jacanas are favorite food for snakes, otters, mongooses and many birds of prey, the survival of this species is largely dependent on the mother’s ability to lay several clutches  (up t0 30) of eggs in one season. The partners of different clutches are usually different.