Red-necked phalarope  (Phalaropus lobatus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Range

Red-necked phalaropes have the widest range of all the phalaropes. Outside the breeding season, they can turn up almost anywhere in the northern hemisphere. They breed on the sub-arctic tundra of Europe, Asia and North America. In the UK, their already limited breeding range has been reduced even more over the last century. Once found on mainland Scotland as well as the Western Isles and Orkney, they are now almost entirely limited to the northern parts of the Shetland, in particular the islands of Fetlar and Unst.

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Habitat

During the birds’ breeding season, phalaropes are found around coastal pools, especially ones shallow enough to support plant growth, and with an abundance of insects. They also like areas with grasses and mosses surrounding open water. On migration they can occur on still waters of any size, though they are often seen on very small pools near the coast. During the winter they are found mainly at sea in warmer regions, often very far from land, where they feed on plankton rich upwellings.

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