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Historic Status

The “Wilson’s Phalarope,” wrote William Peabody in 1839, “is a rare visiter, which, Dr. Brewer tells me, I may insert on the authority of Audubon, who has found it in various places along the eastern coast, from Boston to New Jersey.” And rare it remained for many years with single occurrences noted in 1874, 1889, 1893, and so on. Sightings in the 1920s consisted of single individuals in Ipswich in 1926, and another at City Point in Dorchester in 1928. Since this species was known as a breeder only in the far west for many years, the notion of it ever nesting in Massachusetts was far from the minds of local birders.

Atlas 1 Distribution

With this history in mind, imagine the surprise when the first-ever Confirmed instance of breeding in Massachusetts came in the final year of Atlas 1. A pair of Wilson’s Phalaropes with a trio of eggs was found at Plum Island, where they had constructed their nest in a coastal marsh dominated by cordgrass. As if this was not unusual enough for a species that normally breeds at the margins of shallow freshwater pools, the following year another pair nested at Monomoy. The birds at the Monomoy site also chose a Spartina-dominated salt marsh to call their home.

Atlas 2 Distribution and Change

The Wilson’s Phalarope continues to breed, at least sporadically, in the marshes of the Parker River Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island, although no Confirmations were made during Atlas 2. Despite observations of courtship behavior, pairs appearing to hold territory, and agitated behavior (all acceptable Atlas codes for Probable breeding) at Plum Island during every year of Atlas 2, breeding was not Confirmed.

Atlas 1 Map

Atlas 2 Map

Atlas Change Map