Wilson's phalarope is a small wader. This bird, the largest of the phalaropes, breeds in the prairies of North America in western Canada and the western United States. It is migratory, wintering in inland salt lakes near the Andes in Argentina. They are passage migrants through Central America around March/April and again during September/October. The species is a rare vagrant to western Europe.
Region
North and South America
Typical Environment
Breeds in prairie wetlands and shallow alkali lakes across western Canada and the western United States. During migration it uses interior wetlands, flooded fields, and large saline lakes of the Great Plains and Great Basin, often forming dense flocks. In winter it is found mainly on inland saline and alkaline lakes of the southern Andes and adjacent lowlands in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. It favors open, shallow waters with sparse emergent vegetation and broad mudflats.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 4500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Wilson's phalarope shows striking role reversal: females are brighter and compete for mates, while males incubate the eggs and rear the young. They often feed by spinning rapidly on the water to create a vortex that draws prey to the surface. Huge flocks stage at saline lakes like the Great Salt Lake and Mono Lake during migration to gorge on brine flies and shrimp.
Juvenile moulting into first winter plumage. The remaining juvenile feathers are brownish with broad yellow fringes, the winter feathers grey.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
strong flier with rapid, direct wingbeats
Social Behavior
Polyandrous; females may mate with multiple males and depart while the male incubates a ground nest and tends the brood. Nests are shallow scrapes near shallow water with sparse cover. Outside the breeding season they are highly gregarious, forming large flocks at rich feeding sites.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Generally quiet; gives thin, high-pitched twitters and soft chut notes. During display, females may emit sharper, excited calls over breeding territories.
Plumage
Sleek, smooth plumage; breeding females show rich cinnamon on the neck with a dark facial stripe and gray upperparts, while males are duller. Nonbreeding birds are pale gray above and clean white below with a fine dark eyeline.
Diet
Feeds mainly on aquatic insects and their larvae, especially brine flies, midges, and other small invertebrates; also takes small crustaceans such as brine shrimp and zooplankton. Often spins on the water to create a feeding vortex that concentrates prey at the surface. Picks items from the surface or just below with a rapid, precise bill action.
Preferred Environment
Shallow saline or alkaline lakes, marsh edges, and flooded fields with open water and minimal vegetation. During migration and winter, prefers expansive salt lakes and salares where invertebrates are superabundant.
