Bird guideRed-necked Phalarope

The nest is a grass-lined depression at the top of a small mound.

⚠️Not listed

At a glance

FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityUncommon
Habitatherbaceous graminoids sparse hummock grasses, sparse woodland, closed forest, grassland, and waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from January to February.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Petter Westberg

Range map

Range map

58visible hotspots
889visible records
5states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Note thin, sharp bill. Breeding females are brighter and more contrasting than males: note white throat, reddish stripe on neck, and buffy stripes on back. Breeding males are duller, especially on head and neck. Nonbreeding is much less colorful: gray above and white below with streaky-looking back and black ear patch. Juveniles have blackish upperparts with buffy stripes, and a black ear patch. Breeds on Arctic tundra. Primarily found on the open ocean during migration and winter; also occurs on lakes, especially in western North America. In migration mixes with Wilson’s Phalarope on inland lakes; Red-necked is smaller, more compact, and shorter-billed. On the ocean, frequently mixes with Red Phalarope, the only other oceanic shorebird; Red-necked is best distinguished by smaller size, thinner bill, and slightly darker, streakier-looking upperparts.

Behavior

Often in small flocks, but can gather in incredibly large numbers especially during fall migration.

Regional timing

New South Wales
Peak: March103 records
Victoria
Peak: January to February640 records
Western Australia
Peak: October22 records
Queensland
Peak: February32 records
South Australia
Peak: January to February23 records
Northern Territory
Peak: January to February66 records

Commonly confused with

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