Found in flooded forests, mangrove swamps and vegetation-rich waterways throughout much of central, eastern and southern Africa, the African Finfoot is an unusual and extremely illusive species of aquatic bird notable for being one of only 3 living species of finfoots (a family of birds distantly related to cranes which are named for the fleshy fin-like lobes that extend from each of their toes.) Like other finfoots, the “finned” toes of the African Finfoot aid it in paddling as it swims along the surface but do not impair its ability to cling to branches or walk on land as fully webbed feet would. African Finfoots hunt in the water and feed mainly on aquatic or water-associated invertebrates such as mayflies, dragonflies and water snails, but may also catch small vertebrates such as frogs or venture onto land in search of terrestrial prey such as spiders. Due to their timid nature and preference for dense, inaccessible habitat little is known about this species’ life cycle but it has been observed that their breeding is associated with periods of heavy rainfall and that they build large, messy nests in branches overhanging water, with females returning to the nest to provide their chicks with prey until they are mature enough to join their mother on the water.
