Red-necked phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Key facts

Gaelic name: Deargan-allt
Alternative name: Peerie Deuk (Shetland)
Length: 17 – 19cm | Wingspan: 31 – 41cm | Weight: 27 – 48g
When in the UK: May – August
UK Conservation Status: Red
Species on the Edge areas: Shetland; Outer Hebrides

Species information

How to identify

In breeding plumage the female red-necked phalarope has a striking scarlet neck patch, a slate grey head and bright white throat. Males are duller, especially on the head and neck. In winter plumage the birds are predominantly grey and white, with a black stripe through the eye.

Habitat and feeding

The red-necked phalarope has a preference for waterbodies with plenty of emergent vegetation. In Shetland, this species can be found mainly on RSPB reserves. Funzie & Houbie (Fetlar) are the designated public viewing locations

Migration and lifecycle

The species is a migrant, returning to Scotland in spring from wintering quarters at sea; tracking studies have revealed that they can winter as far away as the eastern Pacific.

Roles are reversed in red-necked phalarope; females will compete to attract males and males will incubate the clutch and raise the brood. The female will copulate with a male, lay eggs, incubate for approximately one day and then leave. The male will then take sole responsibility for incubating the clutch, hidden in a typically dense tussock with stems pulled around to form the nest. Once hatched the male will raise the brood, providing food on the first day, teaching to feed and providing protection, until the chicks fledge.

Distribution

Red-necked phalarope UK distribution map. Credit: RSPB www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/red-necked-phalarope

Conservation status

UK Conservation Status: Red
Listed under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Why is red-necked phalarope a priority species?

Red-necked phalaropes have a limited geographic distribution in the UK. In these areas they are reliant on early successional wetlands with adequate emergent vegetation and areas of open water. For this reason, appropriate local protection and targeted management of key sites is critical for the continued success of this species. In addition, ensuring sites are resilient in the face of drier summers is a key area of work.

Further research is required into how climatic factors in wintering areas or during migration impact the numbers of birds occupying Scottish sites which have shown dramatic population fluctuations over the last 50 years.