Masked Finfoot
Heliopais personatus
Conservation Status
Critically EndangeredAves · Gruiformes · Heliornithidae
About
The masked finfoot or Asian finfoot is a highly endangered aquatic bird that was formerly distributed throughout the fresh and brackish wetlands of the eastern Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Malaysia and Indonesia. Like the rest of the family, the African finfoot and the sungrebe, the relationship to other birds is poorly understood.
Fun Fact
The Masked Finfoot has lobed toes—halfway between a coot and a grebe—and the male carries newly hatched chicks under his wings in flight to water.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Found in a range of habitats across the eastern Indian subcontinent through to Malaysia and Indonesia in a variety of fresh to brackish wetlands, although due to habitat destruction it has disappeared from most of this range.
Diet
Feeds on aquatic invertebrates, including both adults and larval mayflies, dragonflies, crustaceans, also snails, fish and amphibians.
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Wetland Loss Across Range
- Extremely Rare and Poorly Known
- Hunting and Human Disturbance