What environmental condition might cause the Wattled Jacana to rely more heavily on seeds?

Answer

Drier periods when surface insect activity declines.

The Wattled Jacana exhibits high dietary flexibility, allowing it to adjust its primary food source based on environmental availability, which is key to its survival across diverse wetlands. When aquatic insect populations are booming, for example, due to warm weather or recent rains, the jacana will skew its intake heavily toward these protein-rich insects. Conversely, during drier periods when surface insect activity naturally decreases, or at times of peak energy demand such as breeding, the birds compensate by relying more heavily on the readily available, high-energy seeds produced by the surrounding water plants. This adaptability allows them to maintain energy levels by switching from animal protein to carbohydrate/fat sources.

What environmental condition might cause the Wattled Jacana to rely more heavily on seeds?

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