The red-necked phalarope, also known as the northern phalarope and hyperborean phalarope, is a small wader. This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a wader, winters at sea on tropical oceans.
Region
Circumpolar Arctic (breeding) and tropical oceans (wintering)
Typical Environment
Breeds across Arctic and subarctic tundra regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, especially around shallow tundra pools and bogs. During migration it frequents inland saline or alkaline lakes and coastal estuaries. In winter it disperses widely over tropical and subtropical oceans, concentrating along oceanic fronts and convergence zones where plankton is abundant. It is often encountered far from land, sometimes in large rafts.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Other
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small Arctic-breeding wader is unusual among shorebirds for wintering far out at sea on tropical oceans. It shows reversed sexual dimorphism: females are brighter and compete for mates, while males incubate the eggs and rear the young. Red-necked phalaropes famously spin on the water to create small vortices that draw prey to the surface.
Eggs, from the Museum Wiesbaden
Mating
Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; strong, direct flier over long distances
Social Behavior
Highly gregarious on migration and at sea, forming flocks that can number in the thousands. Exhibits polyandry; females may mate with several males while males perform incubation and chick-rearing. Nests are shallow ground scrapes near water, typically with 3–4 eggs.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are high, thin twitters and piping notes, often given during display flights or when flushed. Calls at sea are soft and brief, while breeding displays include more insistent, repeated peeps.
Plumage
Breeding females show slate-grey upperparts with a rich chestnut neck and white face; males are similar but duller. In nonbreeding plumage both sexes are mostly pale grey above and white below with clean, crisp contrasts. Feathers are smooth and sleek, aiding buoyancy and shedding water.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small aquatic invertebrates, including insects and their larvae, zooplankton, and tiny crustaceans. At sea it targets copepods and other plankton near surface slicks and fronts. On breeding grounds it picks midges and other insects from water surfaces and vegetation.
Preferred Environment
Forages while swimming on tundra pools, saline lakes, and coastal shallows, often spinning in place to create a feeding vortex. At sea it concentrates along convergence lines where floating debris and slicks aggregate prey.
