2405_3360 Passion In the Pond
A Wilson's Phalarope pair, doing their best to ensure the continuance of the species. At this point the female appears to have had enough, and the male has slipped sideways into the water and released his grip on the back of her head. It was over in a flash.
Here's where it gets interesting. The female will lay her eggs and then abandon them, leaving the male to incubate them and introduce the new hatchlings to the world. The female, meanwhile, goes off to find another mate. This polyandrous behaviour must work for them; there seem to be a lot of phalaropes in the world. Of course, their long term survival will depend on our commitment to maintaining healthy wetland habitat.
I made this shot from the rolling red Toyota blind.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2405_3360 Passion In the Pond
A Wilson's Phalarope pair, doing their best to ensure the continuance of the species. At this point the female appears to have had enough, and the male has slipped sideways into the water and released his grip on the back of her head. It was over in a flash.
Here's where it gets interesting. The female will lay her eggs and then abandon them, leaving the male to incubate them and introduce the new hatchlings to the world. The female, meanwhile, goes off to find another mate. This polyandrous behaviour must work for them; there seem to be a lot of phalaropes in the world. Of course, their long term survival will depend on our commitment to maintaining healthy wetland habitat.
I made this shot from the rolling red Toyota blind.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.