The Madagascar Jacana inhabits wetlands in western Madagascar. A 2016 survey found it at 22 of the 54 lakes examined.
Females are larger than males and have longer wings.
It walks over floating vegetation on long toes and claws, eating insects and larvae, other small invertebrates and aquatic plant seeds. It also picks prey from the roots of floating plants.
During a 2016 survey in Madagascar, a male incubated a single nest containing three eggs. In a separate observation, a female attended and cared for three chicks.
The crown, hindneck and neck sides are white, contrasting with the black face, throat and foreneck. The body and wings are chestnut, the bill and frontal shield pale blue, and the long legs and feet blue-gray.
Juveniles have a dark crown, hindneck and eye stripe, white underparts with a golden wash on the breast, and a small frontal shield.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.