Quite a few strange things about Wilson's Phalarope

By Al Lowe
Contributor

Wilson’s Phalarope is a bird for you to look for. There are quite a few strange things about it, and it isn’t all that common. It does appear here in the Northwest, as well as some places in southern Ontario.
One of the funny things about these birds is the almost complete reversal of the roles in the sexes. The male is dull and drab, while the female is the bright-coloured one. The male incubates the eggs and looks after the chicks; the female pays no attention to these chores at all. I think the Phalaropes form the only bird family in which there is such a complete change.
Now these birds look a lot like sandpipers and plovers, to which they are related. But there are some differences here too. Phalaropes have toes with fairly wide lobes, and they have small webs between their toes. So they can swim, and they do swim a lot.
And this swimming isn’t all that normal, either. They often swim in very small circles, almost rotating, and jab their beaks into the water at a greet rate.
There are three Phalaropes native to Canada. Two of them (Northern and Red) nest far away to the south. These migrate down both coasts, and spend the winter in the oceans off South America. So you are not likely to see them at all this far inland.
Wilson’s Phalarope on the other hand, breeds across the prairies and into Northwestern Ontario. So this is the only one you are likely to see at all. It also breeds in some places in southern Ontario.
The female (remember this is the bright-coloured one) has a very prominent black line through its eye and down its neck. The side of its neck has a reddish splash which fades away into buff. Back and wings are grey to quite dark, with reddish marks. In flight, the rump is white. Males are much duller, with a sort of wash of reddish on the neck. In winter, both are pretty well grey above and white below.
Phalaropes are shore birds, so they hang around lakes and ponds and prairie sloughs. Unlike most other shore birds, they have thin, almost needlike beaks. All in all, they are very dainty looking birds. Yet the voice is anything but dainty - a harsh, grunting sound.
For seeing these strange birds, your best bet is probably around the town of Rainy River - maybe Lake of the Woods. Look along the shore for a dainty, colourful little bird, a lot like a sandpiper, but with a thin bill.
In the water, you may see a whole lot of them, spinning in tight circles and jabbing their beaks into the shallow water.
Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) is a bird with quite a few odd characteristics. Spring is the best time to look for the dull males and the colourful females.