Birds of Britain 



GREY PHALAROPE 



Phalaropus fulicarius (Linnaeus) 



This species only appears as an irregular autumnal 

 visitor on our south-eastern and southern shores, though it 

 has been obtained both in Scotland and Ireland. In food 

 and habits it resembles the Red-necked Phalarope, but its 

 breeding range is more northerly, and is in fact circumpolar. 

 It is extremely tame, and allows a close approach as it 

 swims in shallow sheltered places a few feet from the 

 margin of the shore, beach pools, or inland ponds, where it 

 happens to be. 



Its visits to this country are almost always in autumn, 

 when it is in the grey plumage, which is grey on the back 

 and white beneath, with a white forehead and a black streak 

 running backwards through the eye. Bill black. The 

 sexes are alike and the young similar but buffish on the 

 chest. 



A few solitary examples are sometimes seen in nuptial 

 dress during the spring or very early autumn. In this 

 plumage the head and back are black, with rufous margins 

 to the feathers ; cheeks white ; under parts chestnut. Bill 

 yellow. The male is rather duller in plumage than the 

 female. Length 8'25 in. ; wing 4'9 in. 



