Worcester Democrat And The Ledger Enterprise

MR. PHALAROPE
RAISES THE FAMILY

Studies of the habits of birds often
bring to light interesting departures
from commonly accepted ideas concerning them. An instance of this is
the Wilson phalarope, a shorebird
included in a recent study made by
the Biological Survey of the United
States Department of Agriculture.
This bird is of economic importance
because it destroys mosquitoes and
larvae of horseflies. The striking
thing about it is what might be termed
its strong feminist tendencies, for
during the mating season the ardent
brilliantly plumaged females pursue
coy, plainly colored males on the wing
across the water. Then, their attention
once captured, the females accompany
the males for a week or so,
until the eggs are laid, but later desert
them, band together, and drift away to join others of their sex.
The care and incubation of the eggs
falls entirely to the male. Once the
eggs are hatched, the birds are more
retiring than ever.
The grasses in
the marshes
have grown steadily
since nesting began, and the young
slip about through them as readily
as do rails. Only rarely are they
captured.