Red-Necked Phalarope Spotted in Tamil Nadu, India

The recent sighting of the Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) at Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu has created a buzz among ornithologists and wildlife enthusiasts. Known for its distinctive circular swimming pattern and vibrant breeding plumage, this Arctic-breeding shorebird is a rare visitor to India, making this observation ecologically significant.

About the Red-Necked Phalarope

Taxonomy and Distribution

  • Scientific Name: Phalaropus lobatus
  • Family: Scolopacidae (sandpiper family)

Distribution

  • Breeding zones: Arctic and sub-Arctic tundra (60°–70° latitude)
  • Wintering zones: Open oceans, including the Arabian Sea, coastal South America, Indonesia, and western Melanesia

Appearance and Behaviour

  • Size: Small-sized shorebird
  • Coloration (Breeding plumage)
  • Chestnut-red coloring on the neck and sides
  • Slim, straight black bill
  • White face and underparts

Feeding Habit

  • Feeds on tiny aquatic invertebrates and plankton
  • Famous for spinning rapidly on water to stir up food from beneath the surface

Unique Breeding Traits

  • Mating System: Polyandrous (females mate with multiple males)
  • Parental Care: Males incubate eggs and care for the chicks
  • This role reversal is rare in birds and adds to the species’ ecological intrigue.

Why the Sighting is Significant

The Nanjarayan Tank in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, is a freshwater wetland that has become a hotspot for migratory birds.

The Red-necked Phalarope’s presence here,

  • Suggests favorable ecological conditions in Indian wetlands
  • Highlights the migratory range extension and adaptability of the species
  • Emphasizes the need for conservation of wetlands in South India

Conservation Status

  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
  • Although globally stable, habitat degradation and climate change could impact long-distance migratory birds like the Red-necked Phalarope.

Takeaways

  • First recorded sighting at Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu.
  • Spins on water to catch prey—an uncommon feeding strategy.
  • Female phalaropes are polyandrous; males raise the chicks.
  • Winters at sea, unlike most shorebirds that remain on coastlines.
  • Highlights the importance of Indian wetlands for global migratory biodiversity.
Shivam

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