Flying over the water in small flocks or riding the ocean swells like puffs of down, a more incongruous picture can hardly be imagined than these dainty mites riding the waves during rough weather, apparently entirely indifferent to the tumult of waters.

Pelagic shorebirds, they come to shore only to breed. Adapted to life on the sea, they have glands that allow them to expel salt from the seawater they drink, and lobed, coot-like toes to swim. Brick red in their breeding plumage, they are mostly gray and white in winter.

They are uncommon to common spring and fall transients, primarily offshore, small numbers are regular onshore. They are irregularly rare to common in winter.

Hear the call of the Red phalarope

Photo by Michael Horn, Flickr