Northern Jacana
Northern JacanaNorthern JacanaNorthern JacanaNorthern Jacana

Northern Jacana

Jacana spinosa

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
50–60% · Likely
overall probability at Tortuguero National Park
1,569 Verified records at Tortuguero National Park
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The northern jacana or northern jaçana (Jacana spinosa) is a wader which is known as a resident breeder from coastal Mexico to western Panama, and on Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is sometimes known to breed in Texas, United States, and has also been recorded on several occasions as a vagrant in Arizona. The jacanas are a group of wetland birds, which are identifiable by their huge feet and claws, which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. In Jamaica, this bird is also known as the 'Jesus bird', as it appears to walk on water. Wikipedia →

50–60% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Jacana sighting in Tortuguero National Park, based on 1,569 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Tortuguero National Park

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Hudsonian Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius hudsonicus

30–40% · Possible
Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

30–40% · Possible
Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

10–20% · With luck
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

10–20% · With luck
Laughing Gull
LC

Laughing Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus atricilla

10–20% · With luck
Sanderling
LC

Sanderling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris alba

10–20% · With luck
Willet

Willet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa semipalmata

5–10% · With luck
Semipalmated Plover
LC

Semipalmated Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius semipalmatus

5–10% · With luck
Franklin's Gull
LC

Franklin's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Insufficient data
Black-necked Stilt
Endemic

Black-necked Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus mexicanus

5–10% · With luck
Southern Lapwing
LC

Southern Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus chilensis

<5% · Rare
Lesser Black-backed Gull
LC

Lesser Black-backed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus fuscus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

60–70
Jan
50–60
Feb
40–50
Mar
40–50
Apr
40–50
May
50–60
Jun
60–70
Jul
50–60
Aug
40–50
Sep
50–60
Oct
50–60
Nov
50–60
Dec

☀️ 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 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
60–70%
2 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
60–70%
3 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
50–60%
4 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
30–40%
5 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
30–40%
6 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
7 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
20–30%
8 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
9 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
10 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
11 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
12 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
13 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
14 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
10–20%
15 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
5–10%
16 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
17 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
18 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
19 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
20 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
21 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
22 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
23 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
24 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
25 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
<5%
26 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
27 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
28 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
29 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
30 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
31 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
32 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
33 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
34 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
35 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
36 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
37 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
38 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
Insufficient data
39 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
40 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
41 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Northern Jacana in Tortuguero National Park?

About 54% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Jacana sighting in Tortuguero National Park, based on 1,569 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Northern Jacana in Tortuguero National Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Northern Jacana in Tortuguero National Park in our monthly data.

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