The African jacana has solved a problem that most birds never had to consider: how to feed on the insects that live among floating water plants without sinking. The answer is toes — extraordinarily long toes that distribute the bird's weight across a wide area, allowing it to walk across lily pads and floating vegetation as if the water beneath were solid ground. It is one of the more elegant solutions in the natural world. Getting a low-angle photograph of a jacana in motion across the lilies took many attempts on the Chobe River. The angle matters — too high and you lose the sense of the bird walking on water. This image was made from the waterline, looking across the surface, which is the only way to show what the jacana actually does. Print Details Printed on museum-grade fine art paper using archival pigment inks with a 100+ year lifespan Generous white border for easy framing Limited edition — signed, numbered and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity Shipped unframed in protective, eco-friendly packaging Carbon-neutral printing and packaging 10% of every sale supports BirdLife Botswana and African bird conservation Available Sizes Small: 12" x 8" | 305 x 203mm | Editions of 25 Medium: 24" x 16" | 609 x 406mm | Editions of 15 Large: 36" x 24" | 914 x 609mm | Editions of 10 X-Large: 60" x 40" | 1524 x 1016mm | Editions of 5 About This Image Location: Chobe River, Botswana Photographer: Devon Jenkin The jacana's ability to walk on water has earned it a place in African folklore across many cultures. Its wide toes allow it to feed on the insects that pollinate flowering water plants — filling a niche that no other bird occupies in quite the same way. This image was made after many attempts to find the right angle, the right light, and a bird willing to cooperate.
