horned grebe (Podiceps auritus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION

• Length: 9.5 inches Wingspan: 24 inches

• Sexes similar

• Small, stocky-bodied grebe with a short, thin bill

• Black bill, often with a pale tip

• Blocky head, with a peak at the rearmost portion of the head

• Feet set far back on body and trail awkwardly behind body in flight

• White secondaries visible in flight

Adult alternate:

• Head black with a golden stripe of feathers extending from eye to back           of head

• Reddish neck and flanks

• Dark back

• White belly

Adult basic:

• Black cap, hindneck, and back

• White face, foreneck, flanks, and belly

Similar species:

Pied-billed grebe has thick, horn-colored bill and brown plumage. Red-
necked grebe is much larger, has a longer bill that is yellow at the base and
much less contrasty plumage. Eared grebe is quite similar but always has a
peak or topknot at the center of the crown and a thinner bill that is beveled
upwards at the tip. In basic plumage it has a darker face with a contrasting
white chin, in alternate plumage it is easily distinguished by the golden ray
of feathers radiating from behind the eye, and the black neck. Birds in tran-
sition between basic and alternate plumage are best disinguished by struc-
tural features, as the plumage can be quite variable.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status:N/A
Breeding Habitat:Wetland-open water
Nest Location:N/A
Nest Type:N/A
Clutch Size:3-6
Length of Incubation: 22-25 days
Days to Fledge:45-60
Number of Broods:usually 1
Diet: Mostly fish and aquatic invertebrates

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May Acc
      Su - Summer: June, July, August
      Fall: September, October, November

      Winter: December, January, February

 

 

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