Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A red-necked phalarope ( Phalaropus lobatus) wades in shallow waters near shore. Pelagic in habit, this shorebird spends most of its time at sea. Phalaropes employ the unique feeding strategy of spinning-in-place on the water surface, creating a whirlpool beneath themselves that pulls up bottom-dwelling larvae for them to feed on.




Image ID: nerr0813, NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve Collection
Location: Near Homer, Alaska
Credit: United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Photo Source:
The NOAA Photo Library http://www.photolib.noaa.gov
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Adminstration (NOAA) http://www.noaa.gov/