The Problem

Although quite similar in non-breeding plumages, the two regularly occurring British phalaropes are readily identifiable given a reasonable view. As a consequence of their extraordinary tameness, this is often not difficult to achieve. 

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The Solution

Occurrence patterns

Key to the identification of these two species is an understanding of their migration patterns. Both species have a circumpolar breeding distribution, although Grey Phalarope is largely absent from the Western Palearctic, breeding only in Iceland, Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. Red-necked is numerous in Iceland and Scandinavia and tiny populations exist in northern Scotland.

After breeding, European Red-necked Phalaropes migrate south-east via the Caspian Sea and Kazakhstan lakes to winter in the Arabian Sea (Cramp 1983). It is this south-easterly orientation to their autumn migration that is responsible for their great rarity status in Britain with, for example, only 19 recorded in the autumn of 2003 (Fraser and Rogers 2006). Nearly all autumn records relate to juveniles in freshwater habitats, mostly in the eastern half of the country; it is an extremely rare bird in the west. Most are seen in late August and September and their occurrences are not usually associated with westerly gales – in fact they often appear on easterly winds.

The appearance of Grey Phalarope, on the other hand, is strongly associated with westerly gales and the large numbers that occur in ‘good’ years indicate that the bulk of our migrants originate in Canada, crossing the Atlantic en route to wintering grounds off West and south-west Africa. In good years, such as 1960, several thousand may be reported, but in poor years numbers struggle into the low hundreds.The species has a predominantly westerly distribution in Britain and peak numbers usually occur from mid- to late September, with odd birds lingering into the winter.

Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope, Lancashire, September 1994. Juvenile plumage is retailed well into the autumn with no grey first-winter faethering until late September. Note the golden-buff mantle and scapular lines, more solidly dark crown, dainty build and fine, needle-like bill. Photo: Steve Young (www.birdsonfilm.com) 

Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope

Most autumn Red-necked Phalaropes seen in Britain are in full juvenile plumage. They are very dark brown above (usually appearing black) with two conspicuous rich buff lines: a well-defined one down the sides of the mantle and an ill-defined one along the lower edge of the second row of scapulars. Fresh juveniles have a strong pinkish-grey hue to the breast but this soon fades to buffy-grey and eventually to white, with just a restricted area of grey remaining on the breast sides. Although not always visible, a small but noticeable pure white spot right at the bend of the wing is often distinctive; as far as I can tell, this seems to be due to white feathering from the marginal underwing coverts sticking out from under the closed wing.

Red-necked is a smaller, slighter and daintier bird than Grey and the important feature to check is the bill, which is noticeably fine and almost needle-like. It should be noted, however, that bill shape is difficult to discern at any distance, particularly against dark water.

Juvenile Grey Phalarope, Merseyside, August 2005. Even as early as late August, juveniles already show extensive grey first-winter feathing on the scapulars nad often on the back. They also acquire a whiter fore-crown. Note the stocky build and thicker, tubular bill. Photo: Steve Young (www.birdsonfilm.com) 

It must be stressed that Grey Phalaropes in full juvenile plumage do not usually occur in this country, the reason being that they commence their post-juvenile moult before they get here. In full juvenile plumage, Grey Phalarope is also dark brown above but, although its upperpart feathers are also strongly fringed with buff, it lacks Red-necked’s prominent pale mantle and scapular lines. Juvenile Greys are strongly and attractively tinged with orange on the breast but this soon fades, although traces of it may remain into late September and faintly into October. Some show dark shading across the upper breast.

Grey Phalarope is a larger, sturdier and more thick-set bird than the delicate Rednecked. Most importantly, it has a thicker, blunter and more tubular bill. Adults usually retain a pale base to the bill and juveniles/first-winters may also show this feature (Red-necked never shows it).

The post-juvenile moult

An understanding of the moult differences between the species is also essential to phalarope identification. During the course of the autumn, both species gradually acquire grey first-winter upperpart feathering, which first appears on the scapulars.The moult of Red-necked is at least a month later than that of Grey, so it remains in full juvenile plumage throughout August and into September. I saw one on 8 September that had a single grey first-winter scapular, but it is not until the second half of September that the first traces of grey usually start to appear, and these are not obvious.

Many remain in full juvenile plumage right into October, by which time the buff tones to the mantle stripes will have faded to whitish. I have seen a photograph of a juvenile on Calvert Lake, Buckinghamshire, in 2005 that was still in full juvenile plumage as late as 27 October. Conversely, the only October bird that I have ever seen (at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, on 4 October 2005) had extensive grey patches on the back and scapulars and it had also acquired white feathering in the forecrown (the late retention of juvenile plumage means that Red-necked normally retains a completely dark crown).

By the time the first migrant juveniles arrive here in late August, Grey Phalaropes will have already commenced their post-juvenile moult, but it must be stressed that the rate at which the moult takes place varies individually.The only two that I have ever seen in August showed just one or two grey scapular feathers but many do show extensive areas of grey by this date.

By the middle of September, most Greys show large grey patches on the scapulars and often on the back. At the same time, the black on the head recedes so that the white forehead extends further back over the crown, making them look much whiter-headed than Red-neckeds of an equivalent age. By late September most show a patchy mixture of grey and black, but many are almost completely grey on the mantle and scapulars. It should be noted that, because of their ongoing post-juvenile moult, autumn Grey Phalaropes should be aged as ‘juvenile/first-winter’.

Winter-plumaged adults and first-winters

Winter-plumaged Red-necked Phalaropes are virtually unknown in Britain but, compared with adult Grey Phalaropes, they retain a hint of a pale mantle line and their grey scapulars are more strongly fringed with white. By late autumn, many young Greys will have completed their post-juvenile moult and acquired first-winter plumage.They then resemble winter adults, being plain grey above, but they retain their white-fringed black juvenile tertials.Winter adults have plain pale grey tertials, concolorous with the rest of the upperparts and subtly fringed with white.

Calls

The two species have similar calls. Grey gives a soft jip or chip, shriller when flushed, while Red-necked gives a quick, quiet tip or kip, which is probably thinner in quality.

First-winter Grey Phalarope, Merseyside, November 2004. In flight it recalls Sanderling but is longer-winged, longer-tailed and blkier bodied. Photo: Steve Young (www.birdsonfilm.com) 

Phalaropes on seawatches

Grey Phalaropes are often seen on seawatches, when they appear as rather full-bodied, long-winged waders with an easy flight action, often jinking from side-to-side as they travel low over the waves. Winter adults and advanced juvenile/first-winters look pale and white-headed and all show a prominent white wing-bar, recalling Sanderling. Remember that Red-necked is extremely unlikely to be seen on a seawatch, so don’t even think about claiming one – unless of course it lands at point-blank range in front of you!

Sanderlings can recall Grey Phalarope if seen on their own. Note lack of dark cap and eye-mask. Wings and tail also shorter. Photo: Steve Young (www.birdsonfilm.com) 

REFERENCES
Cramp, S. (ed). 1983. Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol III. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Fraser, P A, and Rogers, M J. 2006. Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2003. British Birds 99: 74-91