252 



SMV ANt> DESCRIPTION 



FAMILY XLI. PHALAROPES (PHALAR0P6DID^) 



This is a small family (3 species) of small, brightly colored, 

 long, slender-billed, long-legged, swimming and wading birds, 

 which, on shore, appear like sandpipers. They have lobed 

 toes ' like the grebes and coots. In this group the 

 sexual characteristics are almost completely reversed. 

 The female is the larger and the brighter colored and 

 ' does the courting of her mate. When the eggs are 



laid her duties are about over; the male performs most, if 

 not all, of the duties of incubation. Soon after the young are 

 hatched they are able to swim and find their own food. 



Key to the Species 



* Bill over 1| long 3. Wilson's Phalarope. 



« Bill under 1 J long. (A.) 



A. Bill stout and with a flattened tip ; - wing over 4| long 



1. Red Phalarope. 



A. Bill very slender and not flattened ; wing under 4| long 2 

 2. Northern Phalarope. 



1. Red Phalarope (222. Grymdphilus fulichrius). — In sum- 

 mer a red-bodied, gray-winged, black-backed, small, ocean- 

 swimming bird with 

 ^^r--^'yf^jr--^w;'^j:^;f^TyMI^Sgii^M^ much black and 



white on the head. 

 ^™^^^^__ '-' 3jHB|§ In winter a grayish- 



^,.,,.;j^ '^^^^P backed, white-bellied 

 "^ . « .«x^J^K bird with washings 

 ^K'j of red on head, 

 f^ wings, rump, and 

 . , ^^ '^ tail. This is mainly 

 i;^g, 2 an inhabitant of the 

 Eed Phalarope ocean at some dis- 



tance from land, and 

 rarely comes to shore except after storms. In the autumn it is 

 occasionally seen on the western lakes and rivers. It keeps in 

 flocks, swimming like a duck or walking on floating seaweed 



