# Red-necked Phalarope (*Phalaropus lobatus*) The Red-necked Phalarope is a small, beautiful bird that loves to swim and dive in the water. It has a striking red neck and a unique way of spinning in circles to catch tiny food in the water. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Red-necked Phalarope](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Phalaropus_lobatus.jpg&width=800) Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phalaropus_lobatus.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-necked Phalarope is a small shorebird with a fine, needle-like black bill. Breeding females have striking slate-grey upperparts, white underparts, and a bold reddish-brown patch on their neck and throat. Males are duller versions of this plumage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Phalaropus ## Interesting facts - In flight, you can spot a bright white stripe across their dark wings! - Their feathers change color dramatically from summer breeding to plain winter plumage. - These hardy birds can tolerate incredibly cold temperatures in the high Arctic! - Unlike most birds, they lay their eggs in a simple scrape on the bare ground! ## Special abilities - **Spinning Swimmer:** Red-necked Phalarope can spin rapidly in water because this creates a mini-whirlpool, drawing tiny food items up for easy capture. - **Role Reversal:** Females are more brightly colored and leave the duller males to incubate eggs and raise the young. - **Ocean Nomad:** Red-necked Phalaropes spend most of their lives far at sea, using their waterproof feathers and lobed toes to survive pelagic journeys. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-20 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-34 cm - **Weight:** 0.025-0.048 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-10 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 17-21 days - **Migration Distance:** 10000 km ## Diet & Feeding They mainly feast on tiny insects and crustaceans found in water sources. - **Primary Foods:** mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, copepods, small marine worms, fly larvae - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Glaucous Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/glaucous-gull) (*Larus hyperboreus*) — Prey on chicks and eggs. - **Eaten by:** Parasitic Jaeger (*Stercorarius parasiticus*) — Hunts young birds and eggs. - **Eats:** Copepod (*Calanus finmarchicus*) — Major food source in oceans. - **Eats:** Non-biting Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Larvae are prey in ponds. ## Traits - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-necked Phalarope? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-necked Phalarope? 17-20 cm ### What is Red-necked Phalarope's wingspan? 30-34 cm ### How much does Red-necked Phalarope weigh? 0.025-0.048 kg ### How long does Red-necked Phalarope live? 3-10 years ### How fast can Red-necked Phalarope move? 60 km/h ### What does Red-necked Phalarope eat? They mainly feast on tiny insects and crustaceans found in water sources. ### Where is Red-necked Phalarope usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mono-lake-tufa-state-natural-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Salisbury Beach State Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salisbury-beach-state-reservation) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-necked Phalarope: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-necked-phalarope)