Aquatic Birds

Both Of Them

They finally got close enough for a comparison shot. Wilson's phalaropes are a polyandry species. The females are larger & brighter. Females fight each other over males then the winner courts & defend their male mates, and they take several mates. The female selects a nest site, scrapes a little hollow in the dirt & lays 4 eggs. Then she leaves to court another male. The male she just deserted takes over. He pulls plants around to hide the nest and both broods the eggs & raises the chicks. The babies are able to feed themselves when they hatch but Dad continues to look out for them awhile. Like killdeer, he will do a "broken wing" dance to lure predators away from the young.
Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Phalaropus tricolorMale Wilson's PhalaropeWilson's Phalaropenew species for meliferclose upmigrationspring migrationshore birdforagingfeedingeatingwhite rock lakedallas texassunset bayphalaropetransitionmoultingbreeding seasonbreeding plumagebreeding colorsFemale Wilson's Phalaropesunset bay beachshallowspolyandrymatespaired up