Grey Phalarope

Phalaropus fulicarius

Introduction

The Grey (or Red) Phalarope is a small, Arctic breeding wader that has very different plumages in summer and winter.

Records of this small Arctic visitor peak in late autumn (from mid-September through December). Normally, it occurs offshore but storm-driven individuals can also be found on large inland waterbodies, where they can be surprisingly approachable.

Phalaropes swim with a distinctive spinning motion, creating small vortices of water that are thought to bring small invertebrates to the surface where they can pick them off the surface with their short delicate bill.

Key Stats

Scarce

56.3g

4-4

<1%

BTO Records

15k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

197.5% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

Open Close

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

Open Close

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Yorkshire, 1757

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

Open Close

The Grey Phalarope is a scarce migrant in the UK, seen on (mostly autumn) passage in highly variable numbers each year, usually in the low hundreds but in much higher numbers in exceptional years; they are almost exclusively seen in coastal locations, with only occasional records from inland reservoirs [White & Kehoe 2024].

Distribution

Open Close

The winter range map for Grey Phalaropes shows records mainly along the North Sea from the Firth of Forth southwards, and along the south coast of England, and north to the southern Irish Sea, plus a scattering of inland records in south and central England. Most of these records come form November when birds are still migrating.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

180

% occupied in winter

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for Grey Phalarope

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

Open Close

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

197.5 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for Grey Phalarope

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

Open Close

Grey Phalaropes are most often encountered during autumn storms, particularly in September and October, but winter records are also possible.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Grey Phalarope movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

Open Close

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

Open Close

EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Grey Phalarope, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

Open Close

Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

31x22 mm

Mass (% shell)

7.5g (5%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

4-4 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

3-4 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Male

Typical duration

20-18 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Precocial, downy

Typical duration

18-16 days

Source

Survival and Longevity

Open Close

Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Biometrics

Open Close

Wing length and body weights are from live birds (source).

Ring Size

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Grey Phalarope

Classification and Codes

Open Close

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Stercorariidae
Scientific name: Phalaropus fulicarius
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: PL
BTO 5-letter code: GREPH
Euring code number: 5650

Alternate species names

Open Close

Catalan: escuraflascons becgròs
Czech: lyskonoh ploskozobý
Danish: Thorshane
Dutch: Rosse Franjepoot
Estonian: puna-veetallaja
Finnish: isovesipääsky
French: Phalarope à bec large
Gaelic: Liathag-allt

German: Thorshühnchen
Hungarian: laposcsoru víztaposó
Icelandic: Þórshani
Irish: Falaróp Gobmhór
Italian: Falaropo beccolargo
Latvian: platknabja puslitis
Lithuanian: plokšciasnapis plaukikas
Norwegian: Polarsvømmesnipe

Polish: platkonóg plaskodzioby
Portuguese: falaropo-de-bico-grosso
Slovak: lyskonoh ploskozobý
Slovenian: ploskokljuni liskonožec
Spanish: Falaropo picogrueso
Swedish: brednäbbad simsnäppa
Welsh: Llydandroed Llwyd

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

Find a Species

Search by common or scientific name

Or view the alphabetical list of UK bird species