Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

Silhouette: Oscar G. Miranda · PhyloPic

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
GenusPhalaropus (Phalaropes)
SpeciesPhalaropus tricolor (Wilson's Phalarope)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Amboró National Park

4 Verified sightings at Amboró National Park From 2019 to 2026

618 Verified sightings across all 31 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) is a small wader. This bird, the largest of the phalaropes, breeds in the prairies of North America in western Canada and the western United States. It is migratory, wintering in inland salt lakes near the Andes in Argentina. They are passage migrants through Central America around March/April and again during September/October. The species is a rare vagrant to western Europe.

This species is often very tame and approachable. Sometimes it is placed in a monotypic genus Steganopus. This bird is named after Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson. The English and genus names for phalaropes come through French phalarope and scientific Latin Phalaropus from Ancient Greek phalaris, "coot", and pous, "foot". Coots and phalaropes both have lobed toes. The specific tricolor is from Latin tri-, "three-", and color, coloris "colour".

Wilson's phalarope is slightly larger than the red phalarope at about 23 cm (9.1 in) in length. It is a dainty shorebird with lobed toes and a straight fine black bill. The breeding female is predominantly grey and brown above, with white underparts, a reddish neck and reddish flank... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Amboró National Park

Tringa flavipes

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tringa melanoleuca

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tringa solitaria

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Actitis macularius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Calidris fuscicollis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Vanellus chilensis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Jacana jacana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Hoploxypterus cayanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Phaetusa simplex

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Chroicocephalus serranus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 10 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
2	Lauca National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~10%
3	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
4	Torres del Paine National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	<5%
5	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
6	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
7	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
8	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
9	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
10	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
11	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
12	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
13	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
14	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
15	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	Insufficient data
16	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
17	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
18	Huascarán National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	Insufficient data
19	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
20	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
21	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
22	Cajas National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
23	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
24	Tierra del Fuego National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
25	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
26	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
27	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
28	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
29	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
30	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
31	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data

← Back to Amboró National Park

Wilson's Phalarope

About the Wilson's Phalarope

Recent sightings of Wilson's Phalarope in Amboró National Park

Closest Relatives at Amboró National Park

Lesser Yellowlegs

Greater Yellowlegs

Solitary Sandpiper

Spotted Sandpiper

White-rumped Sandpiper

Southern Lapwing

Wattled Jacana

Pied Lapwing

Large-billed Tern

Andean Gull

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found