African Jacana
African JacanaAfrican JacanaAfrican JacanaAfrican Jacana

African Jacana

Actophilornis africanus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Insufficient data
overall probability at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
3 Verified records at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) is a wader in the family Jacanidae. It has long toes and long claws that enable it to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, its preferred habitat. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. For the origin and pronunciation of the name, see Jacanidae. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Crowned Lapwing
LC

Crowned Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus coronatus

40–50% · Likely
Spotted Thick-knee
LC

Spotted Thick-knee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Burhinus capensis

10–20% · With luck
Double-banded Courser

Double-banded Courser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhinoptilus africanus

Insufficient data
Bronze-winged Courser
LC

Bronze-winged Courser

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Rhinoptilus chalcopterus

Insufficient data
Green Sandpiper
LC

Green Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa ochropus

Insufficient data
Ruff
LC

Ruff

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris pugnax

Insufficient data
Greater Painted-Snipe
LC

Greater Painted-Snipe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rostratula benghalensis

Insufficient data
Blacksmith Lapwing
LC

Blacksmith Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus armatus

<5% · Rare
Black-winged Stilt
LC

Black-winged Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus himantopus

<5% · Rare
Common Greenshank
LC

Common Greenshank

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa nebularia

Insufficient data
Burchell's Courser
LC

Burchell's Courser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cursorius rufus

Insufficient data
Temminck's Courser
LC

Temminck's Courser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cursorius temminckii

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of African Jacana at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
60–70%
2 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
60–70%
3 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
60–70%
4 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
60–70%
5 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
50–60%
6 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
40–50%
7 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
40–50%
8 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
40–50%
9 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
40–50%
10 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
40–50%
11 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
40–50%
12 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
40–50%
13 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
40–50%
14 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
15 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
16 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
17 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
20–30%
18 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
20–30%
19 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
20 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
21 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
22 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
10–20%
23 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
10–20%
24 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
25 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
26 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
27 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
28 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
29 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
30 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
31 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
32 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
33 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
34 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
35 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
5–10%
36 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
37 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
38 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
39 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
40 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
41 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
42 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
43 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
44 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
45 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
46 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
47 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
48 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
49 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
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