RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3– Env & Eco)

Context: Recently, a group of birders who visited Kurichi Tank in Coimbatore spotted a Red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus).

Red-Necked Phalarope

• About: It is a fairly small shorebird known for spinning frantically on water to stir up small invertebrates.
• Geographic Distribution: Coastal regions of the Arctic Ocean, ranging south to the Aleutian Islands and northwest to Britain.

o In the winter, they spend the majority of their time in the ocean.

o During the non-breeding season, these phalaropes can be located off central-west South America, in the Arabian Sea, and across central Indonesia to western Melanesia.

• Appearance and Behavior: These birds primarily feed on small aquatic invertebrates and plankton.

o Their feeding behavior involves spinning rapidly on the water's surface, which is thought to help bring prey within their feeding range.

o Female red-necked phalaropes exhibit brighter plumage than males.

o During the breeding period, they develop chestnut-red plumage from behind the ear to the undersides of the neck.

• IUCN Status: Least concern