Wilson’s Phalarope

-Phalaropus tricolor- 

Largest of the three Phalarope species, this is an elegant wading shorebird with a long thin bill.  Feeds on the water and often spins like a top stirring up food.  Females are 10% larger in standard dimensions, often weighing 30% more, and more brightly colored than the males.  The males incubate the eggs.  Breeds in the northern prairies of western United States and Canada. Migratory, winters around the central South American Andes, passing through Texas around March/April and again during September/October.

Length 9.25 inches
Weight 2.5 ounces