Appearance:

Usually recognizable by size alone. Distinctly smaller than any congener. Pale wing-panel formed by inner coverts is striking in all plumages, especially in flight. Male with contrasting black and white/buff plumage. Female with dark, but pale fringed back and streaked throat. Immature with streaked, bittern-like plumage, and wing-panel is brown-spotted. Skulky behaviour, and most active at dusk or after dark. Mostly seen in flight when crossing open water. Flight action rapid and clipping, and landing is preceded by short glide.

Sound:

Mostly silent except in breeding season. Song is a series of short, deep, frog-like "gorrk", repeated every 2 seconds. Tone is muffled and hollow, but far-carrying. Flight-call a sharp "ki-ke-ke" or a nasal "ke".

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sound recording:Creative Commons,www.xeno-canto.org,Jarek Matusiak,http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Appearance:

Adult breeding birds unmistakable. White mask, warm rufous brown throat and underparts. Bill noticeably heavier than in Red-necked Phalarope in all plumages and and ages. Female more brightly coloured than male (reversed dimorphism). 1st winter birds differs from Red-necked in white fore-crown, while fresh juveniles have less contrasting markings on back. Both mentioned characters are often difficult, or impossible to use at a distance. With experience and practise, one can use the powerful flight and more stocky build as field marks.

Sound:

Flight-call a short and sharp, Coot-like "kit". Cleaner and higher pitched than Red-necked Phalarope. Display sound a rolling cooing, at stable pitch. Other calls: a hissing like the squeezing of a rubber duck, rising quickly in pitch and ending abruptly.

Contact calls:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sounds,www.xeno-canto.org,Frank Lambert,http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/