Habitat
The red phalarope breeds on the
tundra. In the winter, it is found on the open ocean off the coast of South America.
Diet
During the breeding season, the red phalarope eats
insects, mollusks, and
crustaceans. The red phalarope isn't built for diving, so on the ocean it
skims food off the surface of the water and strains plankton through its bill. Sometimes it even swims in circles to create a
whirlpool
of water that brings plankton up to the surface!
Life Cycle
The male and the female red phalarope switch traditional roles during breeding season! The female red phalarope tries to attract a mate with a display flight. Both the male and the female create a scrape in the ground. The female picks the best one! The scrape is lined with lichen, moss, and grass. The female lays 4 eggs and then leaves! The male incubates the eggs for 18-20 days and then cares for the chicks. The chicks are
precocial and leave the nest and feed themselves shortly after hatching. The chicks fledge when they are
16-18
days old.
Behavior
The red phalarope
is often found with whales, and even picks parasites off their backs. In fact,
whalers called red phalaropes "bowhead birds" because they were often seen with baleen whales.
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