Scientists from the Institute for Tropical Biology have said that the flock of birds numbering in the thousands have recently come to the central province of Ninh Thuan recently are red necked phalaropes.

The flock of birds has appeared in An Hai and Phuoc Dinh communes in Thuan Nam district, Ninh Thuan province for over a month.

They swim in large groups in shrimp-breeding lakes to search for food. Local farmers are suffering heavy losses from a shrimp disease. They are afraid that the birds will spread the disease because they fly from lake to lake.

Le Can, 62, a shrimp breeder in An Hai commune, said that local farmers call the birds “lac nuoc”. They used to appear in the field during the sowing time. It is very strange that the birds group together.

Some farmers trap the birds and sell VND30,000 (USD1.5) for restaurants.

Red necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) is a migrant bird species. They live in North America and Northern Europe during the mating season. In the winter, they move to South America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

In Vietnam, this species is not popular. They are mainly seen in Nghia Hung coast and Xuan Thuy Nature Reserve in the northern province of Ha Nam and the Cat Tien National Park (only several individuals).

Recent surveys show that this species appeared in the coast of Ninh Thuan and Khanh Hoa provinces in central Vietnam.

According to the Institute for Tropical Biology, the birds live in big flocks in Phuoc Dinh commune, Ninh Thuan province. This is an abnormal phenomenon.

The origin of the birds in Ninh Thuan has not been defined.