Red Phalarope

The Red Phalarope , Phalaropus fulicarius, is a small wader. This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a wader, migrating mainly on oceanic routes and wintering at sea on tropical oceans.

Picture of the Red Phalarope has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution.
Original source: red-phalarope_d_f_5.6_1_1600 s_morro-bayUploaded by berichard
Author: Mike Baird from Morro Bay, USACamera location

The Red Phalarope is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

North American RangeFemale Red Phalaropes in breeding plumage have deep rufous necks, breasts, and bellies, and brown and black mottled backs. Their heads are black with white cheeks, and their bills are yellow. Males in breeding plumage look similar, but are duller, with a brown rather than a black cap. The adult in non-breeding plumage looks similar to a Red-necked Phalarope in non-breeding plumage, with white below and light gray above, a white head, and a black ear patch behind the eye. More

Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicaria), except by the fineness of their bills and bodies. Red-necked Phalaropes are famous, as are the other 2 species of phalarope, for lifting aquatic prey within reach by rapidly spinning in tight circles in a manner reminiscent of a slightly demented toy. Formerly known as the Northern Phalarope, this species breeds widely across the Holarctic. More

Adult Red Phalaropes, pair (female on right); Alaska, June Adult Red Phalarope, non-breeding plumage; California, December Figure 1. Distribution of the Red Phalarope The Red Phalarope is the most pelagic of the 3 phalarope species, spending up to 11 months each year in marine habitats. Its migratory routes and winter areas are entirely pelagic, in contrast to those of Red-necked (Phalaropus lobatus) and Wilson’s (P. wilsonii) phalaropes, and it generally feeds on smaller invertebrate prey items than the former. More

* Stamps - Red Phalarope (for Iceland) with ~world Circumpolar-Map Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Phalaropus lobatus Search Wikispecies Wikispecies has information related to: Phalaropus lobatus Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia. More

The Red Phalarope (called Grey Phalarope in Europe), Phalaropus fulicarius, is a small wader. This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a wader, migrating mainly on oceanic routes and wintering at sea on tropical oceans. Red Phalarope is about 21 cm (8 inches) in length, with lobed toes and a straight bill, somewhat thicker than that of Red-necked Phalarope. More

The Red Phalarope has a large range, estimated globally at 100,000 to 1,000,000 square kilometers. Native to the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia, this bird prefers wetland and marine ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 1,000,000 to 1,900,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Red Phalarope is Least Concern. More

Red Phalarope: Breeds in Alaska and northern Canada; migrates along both coasts, very rarely in interior. Winters mainly at sea in Southern Hemisphere; irregular along the Pacific coast. Breeding and Nesting Red Phalarope: Three to four olive green eggs blotched with black or brown are laid in a shallow scrape on the ground lined with grass, lichens, and moss. Incubation ranges from 18 to 20 days and is carried out by the male. More

When feeding, a Red Phalarope will often swim in a small, rapid circle, forming a small whirlpool. This behaviour is thought to aid feeding by raising food from the bottom of shallow water. The bird will reach into the outskirts of the vortex with its bill, plucking small insects or crustaceans caught up therein. They sometimes fly up to catch insects in flight. On the open ocean, they are found in areas where converging ocean currents produce upwellings and are often found near groups of whales. More

I had observed Red Phalarope in non-breeding plumage on the Brian Patteson pelagic trip from Virginia Beach on December 7, 2002. In fact I have a picture of those Red Phalarope on my website at: http://www.grundynet.net/talbott/birding/hikes/vsotrip/VSOWeekend.htm In addition, I had recently seen Red-necked Phalarope on a Brian Patteson pelagic from Hatteras, NC on August 2, 2003. I have also observed several Wilson's Phalarope while in the western U.S. in 2001 and 2002 (North Dakota, Montana, etc. More

Aspects of the topic red phalarope are discussed in the following additional content sources. * Magazines * A HOME AWAY FROM HOME. Wilderness, December 2006 Expand Your Research: Try searching magazines and ebooks for "red phalarope". No results found. - Type a word or double click on any word to see a definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. More

The Red Phalarope is a member of the Sandpiper family who lives primarily at sea or in the coastal tundra of the extreme north in the western hemisphere. You can identify a Red Phalarope by noting these characteristics and habits. Difficulty: Moderately ChallengingInstructions 1. Step 1 Find the Red Phalarope wintering at sea throughout the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere and along the Pacific coast of Mexico. More

Red Phalarope in nonbreeding plumage Red Phalarope in nonbreeding plumage Photo More

Large numbers of Red Phalaropes can be seen during fall migration off both coasts in August, September, and October. Though normally seen well offshore, severe storms may drive them to shore or even inland. Red PhalaropePhalaropus fulicaria Phalaropes reverse the usual sex roles in birds: Females are larger and more colorful than males; females take the lead in courtship, and males are left to incubate the eggs and care for the young. More

red phalaropeThe red phalarope is a medium-sized shorebird that spends most of its time at sea! It is 8 inches in length with a 14-15 inch wingspan. It has a white stripe across its wings that is visible when it is in flight. It has a dark rump and and a dark stripe down its tail. During breeding season, the female has a reddish-brown neck, breast and belly; a brown and black mottled back; a black head; a yellow bill; and white cheeks. More

Red Phalarope - near Martins Creek, Northampton County on May 25-26, 2003. Photo by Floyd Miller. This male in breeding plumage was found near the Martins Creek PPL power plant by Mike Schall. Note the chestnut underparts, dirty white face patch, and short, thick yellow bill with a black tip. This bird represents the 1st Northampton County record. More

Order : Charadriiformes
Family : Scolopacidae
Genus : Phalaropus
Species : fulicarius
Authority : (Linnaeus, 1758)