Rare shorebirds called phalaropes practice an unusual water dance to help them consume their prey: They spin in tight, quick circles on the water by kicking one foot harder than the other, creating upward jets that pump tiny, out-of-reach insects and crustaceans toward the surface. The birds then dip their bills into the upwelling and feed at high speed. Now, a research team finds that these dizzying birds choose neighbors that spin in the same direction. The cliquishness of right-footed and left-footed birds helps keep the peace within a flock as phalaropes scarf down food, the team suggests.