Wilson's Phalarope
Wilson's PhalaropeWilson's PhalaropeWilson's PhalaropeWilson's Phalarope

Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

Silhouette: Oscar G. Miranda · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Big Bend National Park
56 Verified sightings at Big Bend National Park From 2019 to 2026
618 Verified sightings across all 31 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 Big Bend National Park

Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Hudsonian Godwit
VU

Hudsonian Godwit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Limosa haemastica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
White-rumped Sandpiper
VU

White-rumped Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris fuscicollis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Wilson's Snipe
LC

Wilson's Snipe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinago delicata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Solitary Sandpiper
LC

Solitary Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa solitaria

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Upland Sandpiper
LC

Upland Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bartramia longicauda

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Greater Yellowlegs
NT

Greater Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa melanoleuca

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Long-billed Curlew
LC

Long-billed Curlew

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius americanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Least Sandpiper
NT

Least Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris minutilla

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lesser Yellowlegs
VU

Lesser Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa flavipes

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Pectoral Sandpiper
LC

Pectoral Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris melanotos

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Baird's Sandpiper
LC

Baird's Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris bairdii

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Wilson's Phalarope in Big Bend National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Wilson's Phalarope sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 56 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Wilson's Phalarope in Big Bend National Park?

August has the highest sighting rate for Wilson's Phalarope in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.

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