Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 36.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Phalaropus
- Species lobatus
Where it lives
Mostly low Arctic to subarctic Holarctic tundra and alpine tundra: southern Greenland, Iceland, Scotland (rare), northern Scandinavia, and Arctic and subarctic Russia to Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is.; Aleutian Is., Arctic and subarctic Alaska and Canada
Quick facts
- Weight
- 36.7 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-necked Phalarope hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-necked Phalarope is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) is a species of sandpipers, snipes in the family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in North America, Europe & Northern Asia — mostly low Arctic to subarctic Holarctic tundra and alpine tundra: s Greenland, Iceland, Scotland (rare), n Scandinavia, and Arctic and subarctic Russia to Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is.; Aleutian Is., Arctic and subarctic Alaska and Canada.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-necked Phalarope?
The Red-necked Phalarope is a small bird that weighs around 36.7 g.
Where does the Red-necked Phalarope live?
The Red-necked Phalarope is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL mostly low Arctic to subarctic Holarctic tundra and alpine tundra: s Greenland, Iceland, Scotland (rare), n Scandinavia, and Arctic and subarctic Russia to Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is.; Aleutian Is., Arctic and subarctic Alaska and Canada, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Red-necked Phalarope belong to?
The Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Red-necked Phalarope eat?
The Red-necked Phalarope hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Red-necked Phalarope migrate?
The Red-necked Phalarope is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Red-necked 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-necked Phalarope make?
1 real field recording of the Red-necked Phalarope — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-necked Phalarope's range?
The Red-necked Phalarope has a mapped global range of about 9.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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