Jacanas

Jacanas

Jacanas

A Short Reader

Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 4 to 5
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	4.46

Vocabulary

challenging words:

pros, lays, swimmers, glossy, tips, tropical, travels, male, aquatic, cinnamon, allow, ease, lines, among, role, danger

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Jacanas
By Sheri Skelton

¹     Jacanas are colorful birds that live in tropical areas all over the world. Their bodies are usually a cinnamon or chestnut color. They also have black, white, and yellow colors on their heads, necks, and chests. Most jacanas also have a frontal shield. This shield covers the jacana's forehead. The shield is usually red or bright blue. Male and female jacanas are the same colors. Female jacanas are bigger than male jacanas.

²     Jacanas lay colorful eggs. The eggs are deep tan in color with dark lines. The lines look like paint has been dribbled on the eggs. Each egg has a different pattern. The eggs are very shiny. They look like they have been polished. The glossy eggs are difficult to see among the plants in the water.

³     Male jacanas build nests for the eggs. The nests are attached to aquatic plants. The nests may appear to be floating. A female jacana lays four eggs in a nest. That is her only role as a parent. The male jacana incubates the eggs. He watches for danger and will move the eggs if something threatens them. When the eggs hatch, the male jacana teaches the young jacanas how to look for food. Jacanas eat seeds, insects, snails, worms, and small fish.

Paragraphs 4 to 5:
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