Podiceps nigricollis
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Mass
~410 g
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes
Diet
Fish and aquatic animals
How to recognize it
The eared grebe spends most of its time on the water and keeps an upright neck while swimming. If disturbed, it prefers to dive rather than fly, which makes it easy to remember on a lake or river.
It is a highly social species. Outside the breeding season it gathers in flocks, and in spring it often nests in colonies; its voice is varied, with trills and short calls.
Look for it on still or slow-moving water with patches of aquatic plants, and even on mountain rivers during migration. It feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates, and in northern parts of its range it is migratory.
Quick Facts
The eared grebe spends most of its time on the water and keeps an upright neck while swimming. If disturbed, it prefers to dive rather than fly, which makes it easy to remember on a lake or river.
It is a highly social species. Outside the breeding season it gathers in flocks, and in spring it often nests in colonies; its voice is varied, with trills and short calls.
Look for it on still or slow-moving water with patches of aquatic plants, and even on mountain rivers during migration. It feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates, and in northern parts of its range it is migratory.
