What's so interesting about phalaropes? A lot.
These wading shorebirds are one of only a few species in the world that has females competing for males.
As you might know, most birds have sexual dimorphism... meaning the male and female counterparts are physically different based on color, size, shape, etc. Typically, the male is more colorful, larger, or has seemingly unnecessary ornaments (think: Peacock feathers to impress a peahen). This is for competition -- if you're more brightly colored than other males, it might mean you have more testosterone, good immune system or simply just indicate that the bird eats well and is well-protected -- implying a sense of security if the female chooses to mate.
So with phalaropes, that's the opposite. The top picture is the female, and the male is below. In this species, the females show coloration during breeding season and have to compete for males to mate with - hardly ever seen in nature. The winning females get prime nesting real-estate and usually defend the male who incubates the eggs initially before venturing off on its annual migration from the arctic to the tropical shores.
In bizarro world...
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