Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Species

Male. Taken at Loch Fada, Benbecula on May 19th 2019.
(1/1000th sec at f13. © David Hastings)

Female. Taken at Loch Fada, Benbecula on May 19th 2019.
(1/800th sec at f13. © David Hastings)
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). Juvenile. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on September 24th 2017.
Juvenile. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on September 24th 2017.
(1/500th sec at f11. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)

Description

L: 17 - 19 cm; WS: 30 - 34 cm

Similar to the Grey Phalarope, but is smaller and daintier, and has a thin all-black bill.

It breeds in northern Europe and Iceland, and western and northern Scottish islands. Migration is earlier than the Grey, and is mainly non-stop across SE Europe to the Arabian Sea, where it lives a pelagic life far out to sea.

Its breeding habitat is wet marshes and pools on mountainsides above the tree line and tundra.

As with other Phalaropes, the sex roles are reversed in this species.

It is on the UK Red list owing to the small number of breeding pairs (approx 24).

Sightings

19-May-2019 : Loch Fada, Benbecula (3)

24-Sep-2017 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1juv)
22-Sep-2017 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1juv)