Species BirdsRed Phalarope

Red Phalarope

Phalaropus fulicarius

UncommonBird
Illustration of Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)

The Red Phalarope is the most pelagic of the three phalaropes, spending winter far offshore on the open ocean. In breeding plumage the female's rich chestnut-red underparts are stunning against a white face — a role reversal where the female is more colorful. It has a stouter yellow bill than the Red-necked Phalarope. It sometimes gathers in large flocks around upwellings rich in krill.

Habitat
Open ocean in winter; coastal tundra in summer
Diet
Zooplankton, krill, and small fish
How common
Uncommon

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