Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor (Vieillot, 1819)

Scolopacidae — Sandpipers, Snipes

Wilson's Phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor, breeds in inland marshes across western and central Canada and north-west to west-central USA. Outside the breeding season it moves to hypersaline lakes in western Canada and the USA for moult migration, then mainly to saline mountain lakes from Peru to Argentina, with a further presence along the west coast of South America from Ecuador south to Tierra del Fuego. It is a member of the sandpiper family and was described by Vieillot in 1819. The species is also known for its reversed sex roles among phalaropes.

Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Scolopacidae — Sandpipers, Snipes
Breeding range
North America: temperate zone inland marshes of Nearctic: w, c Canada and nw to wc USA
Nonbreeding range
to hypersaline lakes of w Canada and USA for molt migration; then mainly saline montane lakes from Peru to Argentina; also w coast of South America from Ecuador s and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego
Wilson's Phalarope
© bobistraveling · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

9 tours in Canada

Canada – Saskatchewan Late-Summer Birding Grand Tour: August 24 – 29, 2026
Canada – Saskatchewan Late-Summer Birding Grand Tour: August 24 – 29, 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 6 days

A six-day late-summer Saskatchewan birding circuit timed for early migration, with wetlands, prairie and Saskatoon-area parks on the route....

From CAD 1,850 Next: Aug 24, 2026
Saskatoon Shorebirds – Great Short Driving Tour in 2026
Saskatoon Shorebirds – Great Short Driving Tour in 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3h

A private three- or four-hour self-drive tour of wetlands near Saskatoon, timed for seasonal shorebirds and other waterbirds....

From CAD 190
Redberry Lake Bird Sanctuary Tour – 8 hours with fascinating woodland and water birds
Redberry Lake Bird Sanctuary Tour – 8 hours with fascinating woodland and water birds
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 8h

An eight-hour self-drive tour from Saskatoon to Redberry Lake Bird Sanctuary, exploring prairie, woodland, ponds, marshes and saline-lake sh...

From CAD 590
Radisson Lake Birding Tour – 4 great hours with water and grassland birds
Radisson Lake Birding Tour – 4 great hours with water and grassland birds
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 4h

A private four-hour self-drive tour around Radisson Lake Important Bird Area, combining open-water, shorebird, grassland and aspen habitat....

From CAD 340
Porter Lake Birding Tour – 3 great hours with water birds
Porter Lake Birding Tour – 3 great hours with water birds
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3h

A three-hour self-drive tour around Porter Lake, east of Saskatoon, focused on lakeshore waterbirds and seasonal shorebird movements....

From CAD 150
Grasslands National Park Birding Tour from Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw or Swift Current – Best Prairie Birds 2026
Grasslands National Park Birding Tour from Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw or Swift Current – Best Prairie Birds 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3 days

A private three-day self-drive journey from Saskatoon into Grasslands National Park and southern Saskatchewan’s prairie and shorebird coun...

From CAD 2,190
Chaplin Shorebirds 2026 – Great Birding and Bird Photography Day Tour from Regina, Moose Jaw, Swift Current or Saskatoon
Chaplin Shorebirds 2026 – Great Birding and Bird Photography Day Tour from Regina, Moose Jaw, Swift Current or Saskatoon
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 1 day

A private full-day self-drive tour from Saskatoon to the saline lakes around Chaplin, focused on seasonal shorebird migration and photograph...

From CAD 890
Duck Lake and Nisbet Forest Birding Tour – 6 great hours with fascinating woodland and water birds
Duck Lake and Nisbet Forest Birding Tour – 6 great hours with fascinating woodland and water birds
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 6h

A six-hour self-drive birding circuit north of Saskatoon, combining farmland and Duck Lake wetlands with roadside stops in Nisbet Forest....

From CAD 490
Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary Tour with 2 great options from Saskatoon or Regina
Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary Tour with 2 great options from Saskatoon or Regina
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 1 day

A 1-day Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary outing from Saskatoon or Regina, focused on wetland, shorebird and prairie birding in one of Saska...

From CAD 790