Wilson's Phalarope
Wilson's Phalarope has surged: up 75% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Wilson's Phalarope
The Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) is a North American member of the Sandpipers & Allies (Scolopacidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the shorebirds.
- Size
- 5–26 in long (13–66 cm) — a probing shorebird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Shorelines, mudflats, beaches, flooded fields and wet meadows.
- Diet
- Invertebrates probed or picked from mud, sand and shallow water.
- Range
- Recorded on 476 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 20 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Scolopacidae · Shorebirds
Notable Wilson's Phalarope Trends
Wilson's Phalarope has risen sharply in surveyed states: up 75% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Wilson's Phalarope Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Wilson's Phalarope is projected to rise about 67% by 2029 — from 0.13 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.21 (95% range 0.10–0.32). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±76.3%, with 40% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.20 | 0.10 | 0.31 |
| 2026 | 0.20 | 0.10 | 0.31 |
| 2027 | 0.21 | 0.10 | 0.32 |
| 2028 | 0.21 | 0.10 | 0.32 |
| 2029 | 0.21 | 0.10 | 0.32 |
Where the Wilson's Phalarope Is Detected
BBS routes recording Wilson's Phalarope, sized by most recent count.
Wilson's Phalarope Population Trend by State
| California | -8% | 1973 | 22 |
| Colorado | -74% | 1973 | 43 |
| Idaho | -78% | 1974 | 30 |
| Illinois | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Iowa | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Kansas | -51% | 1973 | 6 |
| Minnesota | -77% | 1978 | 9 |
| Montana | +20% | 1970 | 66 |
| Nebraska | +22% | 1973 | 23 |
| Nevada | +158% | 1973 | 15 |
| New Mexico | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| North Dakota | +47% | 1969 | 49 |
| Oklahoma | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Oregon | -80% | 1971 | 41 |
| South Dakota | -61% | 1969 | 46 |
| Texas | insufficient data | n/a | 6 |
| Utah | -94% | 1985 | 19 |
| Washington | -73% | 1979 | 14 |
| Wisconsin | insufficient data | n/a | 6 |
| Wyoming | +14% | 1971 | 72 |
Wilson's Phalarope Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -80% | 1977 | 3 |
| Great Basin | -55% | 1971 | 104 |
| Northern Rockies | +29% | 1970 | 85 |
| Prairie Potholes | +64% | 1969 | 86 |
| Sierra Nevada | -52% | 1976 | 3 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -80% | 1970 | 32 |
| Badlands and Prairies | -25% | 1969 | 93 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | +69% | 1982 | 40 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | +52% | 1969 | 16 |
Wilson's Phalarope Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 75% since 1968. Many shorebirds have declined steeply, reflecting pressure on the coastal and wetland stopovers they depend on.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.