The red phalarope is a small shorebird that breeds in the Arctic regions and migrates south during winter. With their distinctive red neck and bright white plumage, red phalaropes stand out from other birds. Though they spend much of their lives at sea, red phalaropes undergo an incredible transformation when breeding season arrives in the Arctic tundra. Keep reading to discover amazing and little-known facts about these extraordinary migratory birds!
What Is a Red Phalarope?
The red phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) is a small shorebird that is a member of the sandpiper family Scolopacidae. Some key facts about the red phalarope include:
- Length: 18–20 cm
- Wingspan: 34–40 cm
- Weight: 30–55 g
- The female red phalarope is larger and more colorful than the male.
- The red phalarope has a black stripe through its eyes, a thin black beak, red neck, and bright white plumage on its head, breast, and underside.
- In breeding plumage, the female’s neck and breast feathers are deep rusty red.
- The red phalarope breeds in Arctic regions and migrates south via ocean currents in the winter.
- Their diet consists of small invertebrates picked from the surface of ponds or ocean.
- It often feeds in flocks by swimming in tight circles to produce an upwelling of insects and plankton.
Where Do Red Phalaropes Live?
Red phalaropes have an extremely expansive range thanks to their migratory lifestyle. Their breeding and nesting grounds span parts of North America and Eurasia near the Arctic Circle:
- Northern Canada
- Alaska
- Iceland
- Northern Europe
- Northern Russia and Siberia
After breeding in the summer, red phalaropes migrate south to spend the winter at sea or on inland lakes and salt lakes. Their wintering range includes:
- Off the coasts of North and South America
- Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
- Great Lakes region
- Great Salt Lake in Utah
- Salton Sea in California
The red phalarope is the most oceanic of the phalaropes. It can be found foraging far offshore in waters over deep oceanic abyssal plains.
What Is Unique About Red Phalarope Migration?
The red phalarope undertakes an immense seasonal migration completely over ocean waters. After breeding, adults leave the Arctic first, followed by juveniles. The phalaropes travel south on ocean currents, undertaking a looping migration in a figure-eight pattern:
- They migrate south down the Atlantic Ocean to the latitude of the Caribbean and West Africa.
- They then loop eastwards across the Indian Ocean to return north up to the Pacific Ocean.
- Finally, they complete the figure-eight loop by traveling northwards up the Pacific to return to Arctic breeding areas.
This epic migration can cover over 18,000 miles (29,000 km) roundtrip each year!
Some key facts about their migration include:
- They can travel over 5,000 miles (8,000 km) nonstop over ocean waters.
- They migrate by riding ocean currents and waves.
- They may fly up to 500 miles (800 km) per day.
- Their longest recorded nonstop flight was 5,600 miles (9,012 km) over 9 days.
- They migrate by themselves, not in flocks.
Why Do Red Phalaropes Migrate?
Red phalaropes undertake this immense migration due to the extreme seasonal shifts between their Arctic breeding grounds and wintering areas:
- They breed and nest in Arctic regions in the summer when conditions are optimal.
- As winter arrives, their breeding grounds become inhospitable due to lack of food, freezing temperatures, and snow accumulation.
- Red phalaropes cannot survive the Arctic winter inland.
- To escape the harsh conditions, they migrate south to ice-free marine areas which provide habitat and food during winter.
- In the spring, they return northwards to breed in the Arctic again.
This seasonal migration allows red phalaropes to take advantage of favorable conditions in both the Arctic and warmer southern waters over the course of the year.
Amazing Adaptations for Life at Sea
Red phalaropes have evolved incredible adaptations that allow them to live for months at a time at sea:
- Salt Glands: They have specialized salt glands above their eyes that filter excess salt from the seawater they ingest while feeding.
- Dense Plumage: Their feathers are dense and coated in waterproof oils that repel water.
- Webbed Feet: They have partial webbing between their toes to propel them while swimming.
- Nestling Down: Chicks have thick down that allows them to float on the water surface just days after hatching.
Their small body size also reduces heat loss in cold ocean waters. These adaptations allow red phalaropes to spend the non-breeding season foraging far offshore out at sea.
Strange Reversed Sex Roles
Red phalaropes have a peculiar sex role reversal during the breeding season. In most bird species, the male performs elaborate courtship displays to attract a mate. However, in red phalaropes, the female pursues the male and competes for his attention! She will fight with other females, put on aquatic displays, and mate with multiple males. Meanwhile, the male incubates the eggs and cares for the young.
Some key points about their odd sex reversal:
- Sex reversal allows females to maximize the number of eggs they can produce in the short Arctic summer.
- Females develop colorful breeding plumage to attract males.
- Females are larger than males and defend feeding territories aggressively.
- Males perform the incubation and care of chicks.
- The male red phalarope is the only known male bird to regularly incubate eggs.
This reversal of typical bird courtship and parental roles helps red phalaropes make the most of the brief Arctic breeding season.
Incredible Courtship Displays
To attract males, female red phalaropes perform amazing aquatic courtship displays. They will swim around males in circles while tipping their heads back to expose their bright red neck feathers. If a male approaches, the female may initiate an intense spinning display, rapidly twirling in tight circles while churning the water violently with her feet. This advertises her fitness and stimulates the male.
Some interesting facts about their spinning courtship display:
- It creates an upwelling that brings insects and plankton to the surface, signaling a good foraging territory.
- Displays may last for over 30 minutes nonstop.
- The circling can be clockwise or counter-clockwise.
- Females will often display and mate with multiple males.
- Unmated males may perform displays to attract female attention.
The males are generally brownish-grey and drab during breeding season. But they may perform displays if the sex ratio is skewed towards males competing for fewer females.
Nesting and Incubation
After mating, the male red phalarope prepares an inconspicuous nest for incubation:
- Nests are shallow scrapes lined with grasses and lichens.
- They are built near water in wet tundra areas.
- The female lays 3-4 eggs over several days.
- Eggs are sandy brown with dark blotches for camouflage.
- The male incubates the eggs for around 21 days while the female defends foraging territory.
- The eggs all hatch within several hours of each other.
The males dedication to egg incubation and chick rearing is unusual for shorebirds. But it allows the female red phalarope to spend more time feeding and putting on weight to prepare for her southbound migration.
Precocial Chicks
Red phalarope chicks are precocial, meaning they are mobile and independent soon after hatching:
- Chicks hatch with insulating downy feathers.
- They can swim and forage for insects immediately after hatching.
- Chicks start feeding independently but the male continues to brood them.
- Within 2 weeks, the chicks are independent and fend for themselves.
- The male abandons the brood after several weeks when they can survive on their own.
- By 3 weeks old, the juveniles begin their marathon southbound migration.
The chicks rapid development is essential for fledging and migrating before the onset of winter. Both parents depart and migrate south independently.
Diet and Feeding Behavior
The red phalarope has a specialized feeding technique to capture small aquatic prey:
- Their diet consists of insects, small crustaceans, mollusks and other invertebrates.
- They often feed in flocks in a cooperative circular motion.
- By swimming in tight circles, they create an upwelling that draws prey to the surface.
- They use their fine needle-like bill to pick prey from the water surface.
- Their bill tip is equipped with sensitive nerve endings to detect prey.
- They can submerge their head underwater while swimming to catch prey.
This circular feeding method allows them to efficiently exploit prey driven up to the water’s surface. When not breeding, red phalaropes feed almost continuously during daylight hours.
Threats and Conservation Status
With global population estimates of over 2 million, red phalaropes are still widespread and abundant. However, they face a variety of threats on their Arctic breeding grounds and migratory routes:
- Climate change is resulting in drier tundra conditions and encroaching shrubs that reduce nesting habitat.
- Oil drilling and development in the Arctic can disturb sensitive tundra ecosystems.
- Pollution like oil spills and plastic can affect them at sea.
- They can become entangled in fishing gear.
Additionally, their migratory nature and remote Arctic breeding areas make populations difficult to monitor. Currently the red phalarope is listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. But continued monitoring of breeding success and populations is needed, especially with the rapid changes underway in the Arctic.
Interesting Facts
Here are a few more fascinating and fun facts about the spectacular red phalarope:
- They have two different plumage color phases. The “red” breeding plumage and grey winter plumage.
- The genus name Phalaropus means “coot foot”, referring to their lobed toes.
- Like many shorebirds, they are strong fliers and migrate immense distances.
- Red phalaropes sometimes forage along ocean currents associated with drift ice.
- Their eggs are incubated at temperatures between 35.6 – 40.1°C.
- Population densities can reach up to 40 birds per square kilometer on Arctic breeding grounds.
- They can run short distances across the water surface to take flight.
Conclusion
With their marathon migrations, bizarre reversed sex roles, and vibrant aquatic displays, the red phalarope surely stands out! These tough Arctic shorebirds complete impressive globe-spanning migrations and manage to thrive in both frigid polar regions and tropical oceans. Their unique adaptations allow them to survive the extreme seasonal shifts between Arctic breeding grounds and offshore oceanic habitats. Hopefully continued conservation efforts can preserve the red phalarope’s habitats and amazing natural behaviors for generations to come.