Red-necked Phalarope

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Types of Shorebirds American Avocet Black-necked Stilt Black Oyster Catcher Black Turnstone Dunlin Greater Yellowlegs Killdeer Long-billed Curlew Long-billed Dowitcher Least Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Marbled Godwit Pectoral Sandpiper Sanderling Semipalmated Plover Spotted Sandpiper Surfbird Western Sandpiper Willet Wilson's Phalarope

The Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) is a small to medium sized shorebird that breeds in the northern Arctic region.

It spends most of the year on the open ocean looking for food. During non-breeding season, especially migration, it can be found in a variety of salt and freshwater environments.

Adults have a chestnut patch on the front and back, below the head. The above picture shows a juvenile Red-necked Phalarope.

One interesting fact about the Phalarope is that it likes to swim in circles as it looks or food. The motion causes upwelling of bottom dwelling insects and other organisms in their shallow water feeding grounds.

© 2006 Patricia A. Michaels