Rare Red-necked Phalarope sighted in Tarapur

Mumbai: A rare Red-necked Phalarope bird was sighted at a saltpan in Tarapur, 120 km from Palghar, on Friday

Mumbai: A rare Red-necked Phalarope bird was sighted at a saltpan in Tarapur, 120 km from Palghar, on Friday. Birdwatchers in the Palghar district are delighted by the sighting of Red-necked Phalarope, and flamingos, among others.

The bird swims in the Arabian Sea and develops a red neck during the breeding season (Pravin Babre)

“It is a rare sighting. We need to protect the wetlands as it has a rich biodiversity,” said Pravin Babre, a bird watcher who captured the bird

This bird breeds in Eurasia, North America, and Arctic regions travel to Sri Lanka and New Zealand to spend winters, said Ashish Babre, another birdwatcher.

Red-necked Phalarope is migratory bird. It swims in the Arabian Sea and develops a red neck during the breeding season. Otherwise, the young birds are grey and brown above, with buff underparts, a black patch through the eye and a straight bill.

In winter, the plumage is grey above and white below and is 18 cms (7.1 inches) in length. The white wing stripe helps to distinguish the bird from similar-looking Wilson’s phalarope.