Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

Australia's northern territory is far

from crowds and cities, especially Kakadu National Park.

(dramatic music)

The park's wetlands and forests teem with unusual creatures,

including a tiny but mighty rare bird.

It takes parenting to the extreme

and becomes a ninja to defend its chicks.

We'll follow one perilous year in the life

of these surprising feathered fighters:

the comb-crested jacanas.

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(upbeat music)

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(gentle music)

Kakadu National Park, at the top of Australia,

is a blend of forests, grasslands, and vast wetlands.

(gentle music)

Australia is known for its unique birds,

and one-third of the country's species call this home.

Kakadu is a magnet for over 60 species.

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(birds chirping)

This black-necked stork stands over three feet tall.

(birds chirping)

It's one of the largest birds in the park,

except when fishing for tiny shrimp.

Overhead, a massive white-bellied sea eagle

prefers larger prey.

Powerful wings lift the raptor to a private

treetop table.

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Australian pelicans wait their turn.

(birds chirping)

Purple swamphens don't compete for fish.

They gobble up waterweed shoots.

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Nearby, magpie geese get down and dirty,

vying with the swamphens for juicy greens.

The wetlands buffet in Kakadu offers enough choices

for even the large aquatic birds.

But size doesn't always matter.

Everyone must eat.

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The comb-crested jacana is just over six inches long.

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A red crest reflects blood flowing through the bird's

delicate tissues.

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Jacanas are tiny compared to other wetland birds,

but it works to their advantage.

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(wind blowing)

January brings torrential rains to Kakadu.

(heavy downpour)

More than 90% of the year's rainfall occurs

from December through March.

The park becomes one vast flooded landscape.

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During this time, the wetland spans over 1200 square miles.

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(engine running)

This is boat country.

And something moves among the partially submerged trees.

(engine running)

(birds chirping)

(suspenseful music)

This estuarine crocodile is just one of the densest

population of crocodiles in Australia.

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(water splashing)

These voracious hunters reign supreme in the wetlands.

(birds chirping)

The crocodile is fascinating, but ahead is something

more unusual.

When the area floods, lotus and water lilies

grow quickly towards the surface.

(birds chirping)

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This is where the comb-crested jacana is king.

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Strangely long legs are the key to its survival.

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(birds chirping)

The featherweight jacana can walk on top

of floating vegetation.

(playful music)

Heavier birds would quickly pitch

to the dangerous waters below.

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But it's not just the jacana's lack of weight

that enables it to stay afloat.

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Extra-long toes spread to distribute the bird's weight

evenly across the water plants.

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The jacanas operate on top of a platform

which is supported only by the stems of water plants.

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They're the only birds that can fish from on top

of the vegetation, giving them ownership

over Kakadu's winter waterways.

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This strategy helps the small birds even the competition.

(birds chirping)

Still, in order to find enough food, jacanas must spend

most of their time walking on water.

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The dense clog of waterweeds hides an abundance

of insects, including caterpillars.

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Packed with nutrients, they're jacana's favorite meal.

The caterpillars munch on waterweed,

and the jacanas have plenty to eat.

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Searching for bugs on foot takes less energy

than trying to catch them in flight.

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Comb-crested jacanas don't spend much time in flight

during the wet season.

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When they aren't eating, they're investing in family time.

It's the male bird's job to build a nest.

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He collects pieces of waterweed, yanking them out

by the roots.

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Once a pile is gathered, he begins construction.

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It's not too long before his efforts are noticed

by a female.

(birds chirping)

He advertises that he's ready and willing.

(birds chirping)

But he still has to convince his potential mate.

(wings flapping)

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As the courtship continues, the male's comb turns yellow,

a sign that less blood is flowing through it.

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While he's checking her out, she checks out

his design.

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It doesn't pass her inspection, so he's left alone

with an empty nest.

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Sturdy, thick nests impress females,

so he modifies accordingly.

(birds chirping)

The female appears again.

He might get a second chance.

(birds chirping)

He pulls out the stops again.

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Whether his charm or his nest does the trick,

this time she stays.

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(birds chirping)

Soon after, one of the jacanas settles

into their waterweed nest.

(birds chirping)

A brief stretch reveals inch-long, camouflaged eggs.

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The male gets this tough assignment, too.

He must stoically sit on the egg clutch

until the chicks hatch.

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His comb lies flat to ensure a low profile.

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(birds chirping)

The female comb-crested jacana has no interest

in the next generation.

She doesn't sit on her eggs or raise her chicks.

(birds chirping)

It's all up to dad.

He must constantly reinforce his nest

while guarding the eggs.

(birds chirping)

It's a lot of trouble, but floating nests

keep predatory snakes and lizards away,

and they have to stay strong.

(suspenseful music)

There's little dad can do to prevent assaults from above.

Whiskered terns are determined predators.

(suspenseful music)

The male's comb turns bright red, a sign of tension.

(suspenseful music)

Today, the tern gives up and flies away

to search for fish prey.

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Now, dad can relax.

He settles onto his nest, hugging his eggs to keep them dry.

(birds chirping)

The comb-crested jacana's biggest enemy is rain.

During a downpour, eggs may get soaked

or even washed away.

Less than half of jacana eggs actually hatch.

(gentle music)

Despite these challenges, dad won't give up.

He protects his future offspring as best he can.

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Kakadu National Park is a soggy place.

Geology plays a key role in the formation

of these wetlands.

These towering 1000-foot cliffs ring the park.

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(water crashing)

And it sounds like thunder.

(water crashing)

The rivers carry a wealth of fresh water

to fuel Kakadu's forests.

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Rare and unusual creatures live here, too.

The antilopine wallaroo is smaller than most kangaroos.

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They lick their paws in order to cool down.

During the day, Kakadu is sweltering.

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Endangered northern quolls keep to the forest floor.

Like the wallaroo and kangaroo, the quoll

is a marsupial, but it's only 10 inches long.

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Dead leaves cover a banquet of dead insects.

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One colorful creature heralds the start

of Kakadu's rainy season.

Leichhardt's grasshopper emerges just before the start

of what's known as "The Wet."

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Australia is known for its arid outback,

but Kakadu is a startling green contrast.

Out in the wetlands, the male comb-crested jacana

is still sitting on his eggs, alone.

(gentle music)

(birds chirping)

A month has passed since the female

laid their eggs and left.

(birds chirping)

And he's done a great job.

Three golf ball sized chicks have hatched.

(birds chirping)

Jacana chicks are able to walk hours after hatching,

but they're still a bit wobbly.

(birds chirping)

(gentle music)

Dad has a solution.

He carries the chicks under his wings.

(playful music)

Carefully navigating the unstable waterweed,

he finds a secure place to deposit them.

(playful music)

But in Kakadu, danger is always present.

A nearby crocodile means lifting the chicks up again.

(suspenseful music)

Whether for transport of safety, the round structure

of the jacana's wings creates a security blanket.

(suspenseful music)

The croc seems to know that an adult jacana

is not easy prey.

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(gentle music)

This wing carry strategy is the small bird's best way

of keeping these tiny chicks alive.

(gentle music)

(thunder rumbling)

Torrential rains are a Kakadu constant.

(heavy downpour)

During these heavy rainstorms, the father jacana

becomes a living raincoat for his babies.

(heavy downpour)

The chicks' feathers are not yet water-repellent.

It's hard to imagine a more dedicated parent.

(heavy downpour)

(birds chirping)

The comb-crested male jacana continues to raise

his chicks with patience and determination.

Remember that mom left before her babies were born.

(birds chirping)

(gentle music)

Suddenly, she's back and ready to mate with a new male.

(birds chirping)

(wings flapping)

It may seem outrageous to us, but it's normal

for comb-crested jacanas.

(playful music)

Females mate with several males during a single

breeding season, a practice called polyandry.

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It's more proof that the jacanas are unusual.

Most birds are monogamous.

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In the wetlands, multiple partners and nests

improve survival rates for chicks.

(birds chirping)

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One week after hatching, our three chicks

manage very well over the floating weeds.

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These are critical steps because their father

cannot feed them.

(birds chirping)

They must find insects by themselves.

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Every day, the chicks are steadier on their toothpick legs.

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Dad finally gets a short break.

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Short is the operative word, because a female shows up

and doesn't seem friendly.

He rushes to protect his helpless chicks

and is viciously attacked.

(wings flapping)

(suspenseful music)

(birds chirping)

Then, the unexpected help arrives.

Mom comes to the rescue.

(birds chirping)

She may not be very warm and fuzzy,

but she's a ninja mom.

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(gentle music)

Thanks to her, the chicks and their father are safe.

Dad returns to being mister mom.

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(birds chirping)

By three months, the chicks are single-minded

in their pursuit of food.

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Dad hovers nearby, watching over them.

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His reach only extends so far.

His babies are now too large to fit under his wings.

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All he can do is show them the best places

to find food.

Life is about to change.

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Eight months later, Kakadu is unrecognizable.

It's the dry season.

Days have passed without rain, and the wetlands

are shrinking.

(haunting music)

Only 25% of the water surface remains.

(haunting music)

Birds start to abandon their former homes

in search of places where water still exists.

(suspenseful music)

Things get crowded quickly, and competition for food

is brutal.

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It's every bird for itself.

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The little comb-crested jacanas are here, too.

Their lives have drastically changed.

(birds chirping)

The wet season allowed them to be fiercely territorial,

but now, they need to coexist and share.

(birds chirping)

Finding a float becomes challenging.

(birds chirping)

Half of the support vegetation has died,

and the remaining stems are just too weak

to support these tiny birds.

(gentle music)

The jacanas hunt in the shallow water instead,

picking and scraping for food.

(gentle music)

Their long toes, so perfect for walking on water,

are cumbersome in the mud.

(gentle music)

(birds chirping)

Our chicks forge along with the rest.

Their combs are still small, and their brown feathers

keep them disguised.

(birds chirping)

Many chicks are still with their fathers

when the dry season arrives.

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It's the first time they've experienced a lack of food.

(birds chirping)

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Dad does his best to guide them through the drought.

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All aquatic birds are challenged by the long dry season.

(birds chirping)

Normally placid, plumed whistling ducks fight for food

and territory.

The drought forces the wing of every bird.

(birds chirping)

Purple swamphens are social beings,

except during extreme times.

(birds chirping)

A lotus seed pod is the winner's poor trophy.

Birds aren't the only creatures to take risks

during the drought.

Thirst draws a shy wallaby to the water's edge.

(birds chirping)

Predators are more likely to attack in open spaces.

But the wallaby is driven to nourish her baby.

She's slower and heavier because she's carrying a joey.

(birds chirping)

Venturing out of the forest shows her desperation.

(birds chirping)

But the comb-crested jacanas have huge obstacles

to survival.

(water splashing)

They, too, compete for scarce resources,

and they're tiny.

(suspenseful music)

Everywhere there's water, there's fighting.

(birds chirping)

(suspenseful music)

Distracted birds are prime targets

for hungry monsters.

(water splashing)

Estuarine crocodiles gather at Kakadu's

few remaining water spots because they know

prey will eventually show up.

(suspenseful music)

Every creature needs to drink.

(suspenseful music)

And crocodiles are patient.

They'll take whatever bird they can catch.

(water splashing)

(suspenseful music)

(water splashing)

The jacanas and the others have no choice

but to tough it out and wait until the rains begin again.

(suspenseful music)

By the end of the drought, the mud is deeply cracked.

An eerie quiet prevails, and most birds have vanished.

(haunting music)

In the forest, an estuarine crocodile is suffering, too.

This reptile hasn't been in the water

for a very long time.

It's too weak to move.

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Few creatures can withstand Kakadu's scorching worst.

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Conditions at the ever-shrinking puddles in the park

hit maximum capacity.

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Birds try to remain motionless to conserve energy

because food is nowhere to be found.

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The comb-crested jacana chicks can only wait for the rain.

(gentle music)

By late October, a mist begins to form

over the parched wetlands.

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The air grows thick and humid again.

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Some of Kakadu's trees use the last of their stored water

to bear fruit, right before the wet season begins.

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It's nature's way of attracting creatures

that will plunder and spread their seeds.

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As the aquatic plants begin to thrive again,

the birds prepare for the coming wet season.

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(birds chirping)

Surviving comb-crested jacanas get right down to business.

(birds chirping)

Both males and females are claiming territories

and starting over.

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Mating pairs are everywhere.

Once they succeed, females will search

for more partners, as jacanas always do.

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(birds chirping)

Last year's chicks are nearly one year old,

and some still don't want to leave

their doting dads.

But it's time, time for tough love.

(birds chirping)

With breeding season right around the corner,

male jacanas have love on their minds.

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It seems harsh, but it's inevitable for independence.

(birds chirping)

It's the youngsters' next step towards

finding territories and raising chicks of their own.

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Soon, Kakadu will once again be mostly water,

and all of its birds will stake out new homes

and forge new beginnings.

(gentle music)

The dry season will be forgotten, as the landscape

transforms into an avian paradise.

(gentle music)

The comb-crested jacanas once again walk upon the water,

splaying their strange feet like tiny hydroplanes

as they search for food.

(gentle music)

But in this extreme world where the landscape

dramatically changes, the jacanas need all of their skills

and good luck to survive.

(gentle music)

Tiny but mighty, there's every reason to believe

that Kakadu's comb-crested jacanas

will always find their way.

(dramatic music)