Photo: Mike Baird from Morro Bay, USA / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Red Phalarope

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Northern Territory Birds of South Australia Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Northwest Territories

By family

Sandpipers & Allies of Northern Territory Sandpipers & Allies of South Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Western Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Alberta Sandpipers & Allies of British Columbia Sandpipers & Allies of Manitoba Sandpipers & Allies of New Brunswick Sandpipers & Allies of Newfoundland and Labrador Sandpipers & Allies of Nova Scotia Sandpipers & Allies of Northwest Territories

See what's near you right now

The Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 55.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
Genus Phalaropus
Species fulicarius

Where it lives

Mostly high (locally low) Arctic marshy tundra of Holarctic: from southwestern, east-central Greenland, Iceland (local), Svalbard (north of Norway), Novaya Zemlya and northern Siberia to Bering Strait; northern Alaska and northern Canada including southern tier of Arctic Canadian islands

Quick facts

Weight: 55.6 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Least Concern

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

Vulnerable

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Calidris acuminata

Least Concern

Sanderling

Calidris alba

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Red Phalarope hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Red Phalarope is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) is a species of sandpipers, snipes in the family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in North America, Europe & Northern Asia — mostly high (locally low) Arctic marshy tundra of Holarctic: from sw, ec Greenland, Iceland (local), Svalbard (n of Norway), Novaya Zemlya and n Siberia to Bering Strait; n Alaska and n Canada including s tier of Arctic Canadian islands.

Songs & calls

Red Phalarope — Call, two call types

Recorded by Avery Bartels Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Red Phalarope?

The Red Phalarope is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 55.6 g.

Where does the Red Phalarope live?

The Red Phalarope is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL mostly high (locally low) Arctic marshy tundra of Holarctic: from sw, ec Greenland, Iceland (local), Svalbard (n of Norway), Novaya Zemlya and n Siberia to Bering Strait; n Alaska and n Canada including s tier of Arctic Canadian islands, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Red Phalarope belong to?

The Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Red Phalarope eat?

The Red Phalarope hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Red Phalarope migrate?

The Red Phalarope is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Red Phalarope endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Red Phalarope make?

1 real field recording of the Red Phalarope — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Red Phalarope's range?

The Red Phalarope has a mapped global range of about 3.8 million km².