{"id":8700,"date":"2013-06-25T04:25:46","date_gmt":"2013-06-25T10:25:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=8700"},"modified":"2024-08-18T04:14:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T09:14:39","slug":"wilsons-phalarope-a-whirligig-bird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/06\/25\/wilsons-phalarope-a-whirligig-bird\/","title":{"rendered":"Wilson’s Phalarope – A Whirligig Bird"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FemaleFemale Wilson’s Phalarope – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

In early June while in western Montana there was a pair of Wilson’s Phalaropes on a small, privately owned pond near a gravel road foraging for prey that I couldn’t resist photographing. The light wasn’t optimal and because the pond is privately owned I didn’t get out of the pickup to get a lower angle. This female Wilson’s Phalarope was a cooperative subject and I enjoyed having her in my viewfinder.<\/p>\n

As a\u00a0group phalaropes are collectively known as a “whirligig”\u00a0because while foraging phalaropes whirl in tight circles that create a vortex in the water which brings small invertebrates to the surface. Imagine seeing flocks of hundreds of thousands phalaropes on the Great Salt Lake twirling & whirling in tight little circles, I can tell you from personal experience that the sight is amazing!<\/p>\n

Unlike many other birds where the male is the most colorful in breeding plumage female Wilson’s Phalaropes\u00a0are larger and more colorful than their male counterparts. Females are the ones who compete for a mate in\u00a0their beautiful breeding plumage and once they\u00a0lay their\u00a0eggs the females leave all the incubation and\u00a0brood rearing to the male and can go off to find another mate.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Wilson\u2019s Phalarope photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In early June while in western Montana there was a pair of Wilson’s Phalaropes on a small, privately owned pond near a gravel road foraging for prey that I couldn’t resist photographing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":132680,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1513,27,12,1140],"tags":[4004,4070,3915,3824,4287,1984,274,165,5434,3996,2262,2442],"class_list":["post-8700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-avian","category-montana","category-wilsons-phalaropes","tag-adult","tag-female","tag-phalarope","tag-phalaropes","tag-phalaropus-tricolor","tag-pond","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-spring","tag-valley","tag-water","tag-whirligig","tag-wilsons-phalarope"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/wilsons-phalarope-mia-mcpherson-4190.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-2gk","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40511,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/07\/13\/wilsons-phalarope-chick-at-red-rock-lakes-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":8700,"position":0},"title":"Wilson’s Phalarope Chick at Red Rock Lakes NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I was photographing a Wilson's Phalarope chick and it was in fact the youngest phalarope chick I had ever seen!","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wilson's Phalarope chick in pond","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/wilsons-phalarope-chick-montana-mia-mcpherson-3172.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/wilsons-phalarope-chick-montana-mia-mcpherson-3172.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/wilsons-phalarope-chick-montana-mia-mcpherson-3172.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/wilsons-phalarope-chick-montana-mia-mcpherson-3172.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":105614,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/08\/30\/two-phalarope-species-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":8700,"position":1},"title":"Two Phalarope Species At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 30, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago after leaving the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I was able to photograph two phalarope species in a wetlands that were feeding side by side.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-necked Phalarope in the wetlands of Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/red-necked-phalarope-nonbreeding-mia-mcpherson-9376.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/red-necked-phalarope-nonbreeding-mia-mcpherson-9376.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/red-necked-phalarope-nonbreeding-mia-mcpherson-9376.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/red-necked-phalarope-nonbreeding-mia-mcpherson-9376.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25504,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/06\/16\/a-wilsons-phalarope-and-a-midge-at-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":8700,"position":2},"title":"Wilson’s Phalarope And A Midge At Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"On my recent trip to Idaho and Montana I didn't have many opportunities with Wilson's Phalaropes except for one at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge's Lower Lake.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wilson's Phalarope and a Midge, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/wilsons-phalarope-midge-mia-mcpherson-5648.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/wilsons-phalarope-midge-mia-mcpherson-5648.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/wilsons-phalarope-midge-mia-mcpherson-5648.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/wilsons-phalarope-midge-mia-mcpherson-5648.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27042,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/08\/03\/young-wilsons-phalaropes-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":8700,"position":3},"title":"Young Wilson’s Phalaropes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I am seeing more and more Wilson's Phalaropes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the majority of the birds I see are hatch year birds.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Wilson\u2019s Phalarope at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/wilsons-phalarope-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1994.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/wilsons-phalarope-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1994.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/wilsons-phalarope-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1994.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/wilsons-phalarope-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-1994.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48917,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/10\/12\/red-necked-phalaropes-migration-and-the-great-salt-lake\/","url_meta":{"origin":8700,"position":4},"title":"Red-necked Phalaropes – Migration and the Great Salt Lake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 12, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Last month I was able to photograph flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes on the Great Salt Lake when they were migrating through the area.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-necked Phalarope murmuration, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-necked-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8599.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-necked-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8599.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-necked-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8599.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/red-necked-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8599.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5218,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/22\/whoa-that-is-a-lot-of-wilsons-phalaropes\/","url_meta":{"origin":8700,"position":5},"title":"Whoa, that is a lot of Wilson’s Phalaropes!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 22, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"There were hundreds of thousands of Wilson's Phalaropes near the shoreline of the causeway, whirling around in the water and along the marshy areas not far from the park entrance.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/wilsons-phalaropes-flock-mia-mcpherson-9519.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/wilsons-phalaropes-flock-mia-mcpherson-9519.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/wilsons-phalaropes-flock-mia-mcpherson-9519.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/wilsons-phalaropes-flock-mia-mcpherson-9519.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8700"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8700\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}