Northern Jacana W a baby

The northern jacana has a dark brown body with a black head and neck. In addition its bill has yellow patches and its forehead has a yellow wattle.[1] Its bill has a white base. When a jacana is in flight, its yellowish-green primary and secondary feathers are visible. Also visible are yellow bony spurs on the leading edge of the wings, which it can use to defend itself and its young. The greenish colour of the wing feathers is produced by a pigment, rather rare in birds, called zooprasinin, a copper containing organic compound.[2]

Juveniles have a white supercilium and white lores. The female jacana is around twice as big as the male, averaging 145.4 g (5.13 oz) compared to 86.9 g (3.07 oz).[3] Jacanas average 241 mm (8 inches) in length with a wingspan averaging 508 mm (20 inches).

Young jacana chicks are covered in down and have patterns of orange, browns, black and some white on them. Older chicks are gray and have brownish upper parts.[4]