Red-necked Grebe

Overview

Red-necked Grebe: Large grebe with dark gray upperparts and cap, white underparts with gray flanks. Lower face and nape are white; neck is red-brown. Eyes are dark brown. Long thick yellow bill with dark tip. Black legs, feet. Dives for small fish and crustaceans. Direct flight on rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Red-necked Grebe: Breeds from Alaska and northern Canada south to Oregon, Idaho, Ontario, and southern Minnesota; rarely east to southern Quebec. Spends winters south along coasts to southern California and Georgia, and rarely to Florida. Summer habitats include ponds and lakes; found on large lakes, coastal bays, and estuaries during winter and migration.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Red-necked Grebe ingests large quantities of its own feathers. Feathers remain in the bird's stomach. The function of feathers in the stomach is unknown. It also feedsthem to its young. Boldly marked, vocal, and aggressive during the breeding season, it is quiet and subtly attired in winter. It takes a long-running "taxi" in order for this small-legged and small-winged bird to take off, so it rarely flies outside of migration. A group of grebes are collectively known as a "water dance" of grebes.