Wilson’s phalarope

Wilson’s phalarope is one of the more unusual shorebirds in the world, because the roles are reversed. The female is the brighter, more colourful bird, with a bold stripe of black and rust on her neck, and she does the courting. The male builds the nest, incubates the eggs, and raises the chicks on his own.

Phalaropes feed by spinning in tight circles on the water, which creates a small whirlpool that lifts food to the surface. They nest in the damp grass at the edges of prairie wetlands, and they are a summer visitor to southern Manitoba. By late summer they are gone, heading for the salt lakes of South America.

To learn more about the wilson’s phalarope and its habitat, visit its species page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

Wilson’s phalarope Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the wilson’s phalarope in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.