Jacana, jak'a na, the common name of certain wading birds, which have long toes and very long nails, so that they can stand and walk on the leaves of aquatic plants when in search of their food. They live in the marshes of hot climates and are related to the plover. The Indian species, which is called the surgeon bird, is brownish above, purplish below, has white head and wings and four very long, dark brown, curved tail-feathers.