9.75 inches long. The Wilson’s Phalarope has a long thin bill. The female has brighter plumage than the male. The head and back are pearl-gray. The underparts are white. There is a black stripe through the eye and down the neck and chestnut markings on the side of the neck and back. In non-breeding plumage the upperparts turn a plain gray.
The Wilson’s Phalarope is uncommon in the Omaha area and rarely seen in Fontenelle Forest.
The Wilson’s Phalarope will sometimes swim in circles to stir up food. The roles of the males and females are reversed with males sitting on the nest rather than the females.
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