The floating lily-trotter …

A pheasant-tailed jacana seen walking over waterlily pads on a pond in Chattogram’s Anowara KPZ area, its impossibly long toes spreading its weight like poetry across water. Native to South and Southeast Asia, this waterbird inhabits freshwater wetlands, marshes, ponds, and rice fields rich in floating vegetation. It feeds primarily on insects, larvae, molluscs, and other small invertebrates, delicately plucked from the surface of leaves and shallow water. A master of balance, its elongated toes and claws earn it the nickname “lily-trotter”. Though it is categorised as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List, water pollution and hunting still threaten the species’ survival.

PHOTO: KOMOL DAS