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Cette fin d'hiver et ce début de printemps ont connu un déroulement relativement ordinaire, hormis le séjour d'un Phalarope à bec étroit, d'abord vu le 22 avril à Allaman VD, puis dès le 25 à Préverenges VD, et des passages plus importants que de coutume pour l'Ibis falcinelle Plegadis falcinellus, qui a été vu en une dizaine de sites du Plateau dès le 19 avril à Kerzers FR, dont 5 ce jour à cet endroit et 4 le 23 à Préverenges. De même, le Phragmite aquatique Acrocephalus paludicola a connu un afflux inhabituel: 2 chanteurs se répondaient le 17 avril à Chevroux VD, puis 1-2 dès le 20 à Pfäffikon/Wetzikon ZH, 1 le 21 à Leuggern AG, 1 au Fanel BE le 22 et 2 dès ce jour au Chatzensee ZH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA, is a critical staging area for Wilson's (Phalaropus tricolor) and red‐necked (Phalaropus lobatus) phalaropes. Both phalarope species depend upon abundant invertebrate prey in Great Salt Lake to fuel fall migrations, but the lake currently faces the threat of becoming increasingly saline due to water diversions and climate change. The lake changes may decrease the ability of Great Salt Lake to support the large populations of phalaropes that currently depend upon it. Assessing how a smaller and more saline Great Salt Lake will affect phalaropes is difficult without knowing what phalaropes are consuming during staging. We collected phalaropes from 4 different Great Salt Lake bays from 2012 through 2015 and identified prey items in their upper digestive tracts. We measured wet weights of different food items and examined total mass of food consumed by weighing gizzard contents. Phalarope diets differed across time and bays, and between phalarope species. Red‐necked phalaropes primarily consumed corixids (Corixidae) and brine fly (Ephydra hians, Ephydra cinerea) larva, pupa, and adults, whereas Wilson's phalaropes consumed brine flies, chironomids (Chironomidae) and Daphnia (Daphnia magna). Despite the abundance of brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) in Great Salt Lake, both phalarope species rarely consumed them. Our results documented that phalaropes of Great Salt Lake are dependent for food in the less‐saline Farmington Bay and on brine flies produced in the hypersaline bays. Such information is critical for wildlife managers who are tasked with ensuring that Great Salt Lake will continue to support the large phalarope populations that depend on the lake's resources. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. Great Salt Lake is a critical staging area for Wilson's and red‐necked phalaropes, but the lake currently faces the threat of becoming increasingly saline due to water diversions and climate change. Assessing how a smaller and more saline Great Salt Lake will affect phalaropes is difficult without knowing what phalaropes are consuming while staging there. We found that red‐necked phalaropes primarily consumed corixids and brine flies whereas Wilson's phalaropes consumed brine flies, chironomids and Daphnia. Both phalarope species are dependent for food in the less‐saline Farmington Bay and on brine flies produced in the hypersaline bays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-breeding movement strategies of migratory birds may be expected to be flexibly adjusted to the distribution and quality of habitat, but few studies compare movement strategies among populations using distinct migration routes and wintering areas. In our study, individual movement strategies of red-necked phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus), a long-distance migratory wader which uses saline waters in the non-breeding period, were studied using light-level geolocators. Results revealed a migratory divide between two populations with distinct migration routes and wintering areas: one breeding in the north-eastern North Atlantic and migrating ca. 10,000 km oversea to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, and the other breeding in Fennoscandia and Russia migrating ca. 6,000 km—largely over land—to the Arabian Sea (Indian Ocean). In line with our expectations, the transoceanic migration between the North Atlantic and the Pacific was associated with proportionately longer wings, a more even spread of stopovers in autumn and a higher migration speed in spring compared to the migration between Fennoscandian-Russian breeding grounds and the Arabian Sea. In the wintering period, birds wintering in the Pacific were stationary in roughly a single area, whereas individuals wintering in the Arabian Sea moved extensively between different areas, reflecting differences in spatio-temporal variation in primary productivity between the two wintering areas. Our study is unique in showing how habitat distribution shapes movement strategies over the entire non-breeding period within a species.

The migration routes of red‐necked phalaropes breeding around the Bering Sea are poorly known, despite the fact that the Bering Sea could mark the boundary between the East Palearctic populations that winter in the Pacific Ocean around the East Indies and the West Nearctic populations that winter in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America. Geolocator data retrieved from two male phalaropes tagged in southern Chukotka, Far Eastern Russia, confirm that birds breeding in this region belong to the East Palearctic population and winter in the East Indies, suggesting that the division line with the West Nearctic population is farther to the east. The routes taken by the two phalaropes were almost entirely pelagic, totaling around 18 000–20 000 km round‐trip, with the birds continuously on the move during migration, rather than resident in any particular stopover site, contrary to most other migratory shorebirds.

Until recently, the migration route and wintering areas of Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus breeding in Scotland was a matter of speculation, since no foreign ringing recoveries existed for this population. In 2013, a male fitted with a geolocator the previous year was retrapped on its breeding grounds in Shetland. Data from the tag revealed that the bird had followed a westerly migration route, crossing the Atlantic to North America and travelling south to winter in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America - the first recorded instance of a European breeding bird wintering in the Pacific. From just one individual it could not be established whether this migration route was exceptional or representative of the wider Scottish population. Here we report the tracking of two further males that followed a closely similar route. We infer that the transatlantic migration and Pacific wintering grounds of Red-necked Phalaropes breeding in Shetland is more likely to be the rule than the exception, although tracking of females is required to clarify whether they follow a similar route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration routes of red‐necked phalaropes breeding around the Bering Sea are poorly known, despite the fact that the Bering Sea could mark the boundary between the East Palearctic populations that winter in the Pacific Ocean around the East Indies and the West Nearctic populations that winter in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America. Geolocator data retrieved from two male phalaropes tagged in southern Chukotka, Far Eastern Russia, confirm that birds breeding in this region belong to the East Palearctic population and winter in the East Indies, suggesting that the division line with the West Nearctic population is farther to the east. The routes taken by the two phalaropes were almost entirely pelagic, totaling around 18 000–20 000 km round‐trip, with the birds continuously on the move during migration, rather than resident in any particular stopover site, contrary to most other migratory shorebirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red-necked phalarope is a wonderful species with specific morphological characters and lifestyles. Mitochondrial genomes, encoding necessary proteins involved in the system of energy metabolism, are important for the evolution and adaption of species. In this study, we determined the complete mitogenome sequence of Phalaropus lobatus (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae). The circular genome is 16714 bp in size, containing 13 PCGs, two ribosomal RNAs and 22 tRNAs and a high AT-rich control region. The AT skew and GC skew of major strand is positive and negative respectively. Most of PCGs are biased towards A-rich except ND1. A codon usage analysis shows that 3 start codons (ATG, GTG and ATA), 4 stop codons (TAA, TAG, AGG, AGA) and two incomplete terminate codons (T-). Twenty two transfer RNAs have the typical cloverleaf structure, and a total of ten base pairs are mismatched throughout the nine tRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree based on 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA genes indicates that monophyly of the family and genus Phalaropus is close to genus Xenus plus Tringa. The analysis of selective pressure shows 13 protein-coding genes are evolving under the purifying selection and P. lobatus is different from other Scolopacidae species on the selective pressure of gene ND4. This study helps us know the inherent mechanism of mitochondrial structure and natural selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied migration and wintering patterns of a wader with a pelagic lifestyle during the non-breeding period, the red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus. Using light-level geolocation, we obtained three full annual tracks and one autumn migration track of male red-necked phalaropes caught during breeding in Scandinavia. These tracks confirmed expectations that individuals from the Scandinavian population winter in the Arabian Sea. Migration was accomplished in two to four migration leaps, staging for a few days in the Gulf of Finland (autumn) or the southern Baltic Sea (spring) and for up to a month in or near the Black and Caspian Sea (autumn and spring). In addition, travel speeds suggested that only the flights between the Baltic and Black/Caspian Sea are non-stop, and thus the birds seem to make additional short stops during the other flights. Stopover time in the Black/Caspian Sea is only 8-10 d in spring but up to 36 d in autumn, which is longer than expected if only used for pre-migratory fattening to cover the ca 2000 km to the Gulf of Oman. After entering the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Oman, birds dispersed over the entire presumed winter range. Winter movements appear to correspond to the spatio-temporal patterns in primary production linked to seasonally changing monsoon winds. These are not only the first tracks of Scandinavian red-necked phalaropes, but also the first seabird tracks in the Arabian Sea, one of the most productive and dynamic marine areas on the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the cultural cruise, aboard MV Minerva in March/April 2015, from Muscat to Djibouti, for spotting and identifying various bird species which includes Calonectris borealis, Puffinus persicus and Phalaropus lobastus.

The article focuses on the Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus and the unusualness of spinning by phalaropes. Topics discussed include a literature review of the spinning behaviour of all three phalarope species, namely Red-necked, Grey, and Wilson's Phalaropes, further observations of phalarope spinning, and the direction of spinning.

Fisher's sex ratio theory predicts that on average parents should allocate resources equally to the production of males and females. However, when the cost/benefit ratio for producing males versus females differs, the theory predicts that parents may bias production, typically through underproduction of the sex with greater variation in fitness. We tested theoretical predictions in the red-necked phalarope, a polyandrous shorebird with sex-role reversal. Since females are larger and therefore potentially more expensive to produce and may have greater variation in reproductive success, we predicted from Fisher's hypothesis a male bias in population embryonic sex ratio, and from sex allocation theory, female biases in the clutches of females allocating more resources to reproduction. We measured eggs and chicks and sexed 535 offspring from 163 clutches laid over 6 years at two sites in Alaska. The embryonic sex ratio of 51.1 M:48.9 F did not vary from parity. Clutch sex ratio (% male) was positively correlated with clutch mean egg size, opposite to our prediction. Within clutches, however, egg size did not differ by sex. Male phalarope fitness may be more variable than previously thought, and/or differential investment in eggs may affect the within-sex fitness of males more than females. Eggs producing males were less dense than those producing females, possibly indicating they contained more yolk relative to albumen. Albumen contributes to chick structural size, while yolk supports survivorship after hatch. Sex-specific chick growth strategies may affect egg size and allocation patterns by female phalaropes and other birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bird observations from the Cambridge Bay area on Victoria Island, Nunavut, in the summer of 2011 are presented and compared with those from the 1960s and 1980s. A total of 38 species was observed, compared with 42 in 1983 and 47 in 1986. Abundance of species of the High Arctic, such as Black Brant. Branta bermela nigricans. Black-bellied Plover, Pluvialis squatcirola, and Baird's Sandpiper, Calidris bairdii, decreased, whereas numbers of the Red-necked Phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus, usually associated with the Low Arctic, increased markedly. Overall, the number of each species observed is rather stable and, for several species, the relative abundance does not seem to have changed significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red-necked phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus) breed in Arctic and Subarctic lowlands throughout the circumpolar region. They are highly reliant on shallow freshwater ponds for social interaction, copulation, and foraging for small aquatic invertebrates. Threats related to warmer continental temperatures could lead to encroachment of shrub vegetation and premature drying of wetlands that serve as breeding habitat. We documented patterns of pond use over the breeding season and investigated pond characteristics associated with high occupancy by red-necked phalaropes. Research was conducted during two breeding seasons in a large wetland on Niglintgak Island, located in the mouth of the Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories. The frequency of pond occupancy declined between the onset of incubation and average hatch dates. Neither invertebrate assemblages (potential prey) nor physical characteristics (water chemistry and vegetation characteristics) varied significantly between ponds categorized as high-use, low-use, and no-use, in either year. Dry weight of potential prey (g/m3) was higher during the incubation period than during the nest initiation period. Pond occupancy both prior to and during incubation showed a clumped distribution, suggesting that choice of ponds was related in part to social stimulation. Future studies should examine the proximity of ponds to nest sites, the effects of premature drying of ponds on food availability, the distribution of resources surrounding ponds, and the occupancy of ponds by broods during the period preceding fall migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss the population decline of Red-necked phalaropes in the Bay of Fundy during the 1980s. They explain the contribution of the conditions caused by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the 1982-1983 to the decline in the breeding populations of the bird species. They also note the signs of recovery based on spring migration numbers.

The article presents information on juvenile red-necked phalarope birds, which was the focus of a photograph challenge published in a previous issue. The birds are said to rare migrants in Connecticut, and exhibits a mostly gray back with blackish tertial centers. According to the article, the birds in full juvenile plumage are less likely to show retained dark feathering on the upper parts.

The author shares his and Simon Aspinall's observations regarding a juvenile Red-necked Phalarope spinning virtually non-stop in the early afternoon of October 6, 2010, on Simmond's Scrape at the reserve of Norfolk Wildlife Trust at Cley, England. They recorded the results of 13 consecutive sets of spins and timed a series of spins. They also noted that the mean was 54 per minute and all the spins observed were in clockwise direction.

The article describes a red-necked phalarope shorebird which was found in Connecticut. The red-necked phalarope is a juvenile bird because of its blackish tertial centers and dark-striped mantle. It has a narrow and pointed bill. The red-necked phalarope's characteristics distinguished it from the Red phalaropes and Wilson's phalaropes.

The article discusses the successful breeding of wetland-bird rednecked phalaropes at the Balranald Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reserve in Scotland.