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The name Phalarope refers
to any of three species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus
Phalaropus of the bird family Scolopacidae. They are 6–10
in (15–25 cm) in length, with lobed toes and a straight,
slender bill. Predominately grey and white in winter, their plumage
develops reddish markings in summer. They are especially notable
for two things: their unusual nesting behavior, and their unique
feeding technique. Family: Scolopacidae (part) Red Phalarope,
Phalaropus fulicaria Red-necked Phalarope, P. lobatus Wilson's
Phalarope, P. tricolor Nesting behavior: The typical avian sex
roles are reversed in the three Phalarope species. Females are
larger and more brightly colored than males. The females pursue
males, compete for nesting territory, and will aggressively defend
their nests and chosen mates. Once the females lay their eggs,
they begin their southward migration, leaving the males to incubate
the eggs and care for the young.
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Feeding technique: When feeding, a phalarope will often swim in
a small, rapid circle, forming a small whirlpool. This behavior
is thought to aid feeding by raising food from the bottom of shallow
water. The bird will reach into the center of the vortex with
its bill, plucking small insects or crustaceans caught up therein.
Habitat: Red
and Red-necked Phalaropes are unusual amongst shorebirds in that
they are considered pelagic, that is, they spend a great deal
of their lives outside the breeding season well out to sea. Phalaropes
are unusually halophilic (salt-loving) and feed in great numbers
in saline lakes such as Mono Lake in California and the Great
Salt Lake of Utah.
Above Images From The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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