Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tachybaptus ("quick to sink under") dominicus ("of Hispaniola")

Breeding plumage Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus)  at San Jose, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Tachybaptus dominicus brachypterus
Weight: 112-118g  /  Length: 21-27cm  /  Wingspan: 48-53cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

As the name suggests, the smallest of all grebes with a range spanning from the Southern Border of the USA down to Uruguay where it prefers bodies of water with extensive vegetation for breeding such as ponds, lakes marshes and even ditches, even sometimes breeding in temporary bodies of water. They are able to breed throughout the year, using a floating nest of vegetation.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipidiformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Tachybaptus
SUBSPECIES: T. d. brachypterus, T. d. bangsi, T. d. dominicus, T. d. eisenmanni, T. d. brachyrhynchus

 - Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - zampullín macacito

A locally common species on suitable bodies of water.
 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen in San Jose

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Aechmophorus ("spearman") clarkii ("Clark's")

Adult Clark's Grebe (subspecies A. c. clarkii) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Aechnophorus clarkii clarkii
Weight: 1400g  /  Length: 63cm  /  Wingspan: 61cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A close relative of the Western Grebe, it has a history where it was been intermitantly been regarded as a subspecies of the latter, although this appears to have been now resolved due to distinct if subtle differences and a low rate of interbreeding where their ranges overlap. In the field they can be separated from Western by the fact their eye is surrounded by white plummage, while in Western it falls within the black cap.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipediformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Aechmophorus
SUBSPECIES: A. c. clarkii, A. c. transitionalis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
A widepsread species in California and breeding in a number of other Western states.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley and Monterey

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)

OTHER NAMES: Swan Grebe, Swan-necked Grebe
Latin Etymology: Aechmophorus ("spearman") occidentalis ("western")

Adult Western Grebes (subspecies ) at San Francisco - Septmeber 2022

Featured Subspecies: Aechomophorus occidentalis occidentalis
Weight: 800-2000g  /  Length: 55-77cm  /  Wingspan: 79-102cm
NO UK STATUS/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Even by the already flamboyant standards of grebes and their elaborate mating rituals, the Western Grebe has something of a reputation for particular pagentry, involving the pair of birds running upright along the surface of lakes while striking a positively ballerina-esque pose.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipediformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Aechmophorus
SUBSPECIES: A. o. occidentalis, A. o. ephemeralis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
A widepsread species in much of the Western lower 48
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley, Monterey and San Francisco

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

OTHER NAMES: American Dabchick, Carolina Grebe, Devil-Diver, Hell-diver, Pied-billed Dabchick, Thick-billed Grebe, Water Witch
Latin Etymology: Podilymbus ("rump-footed diver") podiceps ("vent-foot")

Breeding plumage Pied-billed Grebe (subspecies P. p. podiceps) at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Podilymbis podiceps podiceps
Weight: g/kg  /  Length: 30-38cm  /  Wingspan: 59cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small and compact grebe found over a huge stretch of the Americas from Canada down to Chile and Argentina, it is, with the extinction of the Atitlán grebe in the 20th century the only surviving member of the genus Podilymbus - a group of compact grebes with thicker wedge shaped beaks. The Pied Billed however is in much better state, being the most common Grebe in the USA where it can be seen in even disturbed environments such as urban parks.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipediformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Podilymbus
SUBSPECIES: P. p. podiceps, P. p. antillarum, P. p. antarcticus

 - Sighting Locations -
UNITED STATES 

A migrant found in all corners of the Lower 48 states at different times of the year.

 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Single birds in Monteray and San Francisco

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Podiceps ("vent-foot") grisegena ("grey cheek")

Adult Winter-plumage Red-necked Grebe (subspecies P. g. grisegena) at Richmond Park, London - October 2013

Featured Subspecies: Podiceps grisegena grisegena

Weight: 692-925g  /  Length: 40-50cm  /  Wingspan: 77-85cm

UK AMBER LIST  /  LEAST CONCERN - IUCN Red List

The Red-necked Grebe is by far the hardest of Britain's regular Grebes to track down, while the other species have at least small breeding populations, the Red-necked is only an occasional breeder with a small number of attempts in the last few decades.  It is also seemingly far more marine based than the other grebes, often found around the coast.  It took quite a few visits to different sites before I finally managed to catch up with this species, it seems to stay in one location for smaller lengths of time than the other migrant grebes.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipediformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Podiceps
Subspecies: P. g. grisegena, P. g. holboelii

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare Winter migrant (55 individuals) and occasional breeder.

 - A single vagrant at Richmond Park in October 2013,

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

OTHER NAMES: Horned Grebe
Latin Etymology: Podiceps ("vent-foot") auritus ("long-eared")

Adult Slavonian Grebe (subspecies P. a. auritus) in Winter plumage, at Pitsford Reservoir, Northants - September 2011

Featured Subspecies: Podiceps auritus auritus
Weight: 410g  /  Length: 31-38cm  /  Wingspan: 46-55cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

Slavonian Grebes are primarily a Winter visitor with a small number summering in Scotland - in their Winter plumage (shown) they are fairly unobtrusive, and could easily pass for a dabchick if you didn't look closer. Their summer plumage is far more resplendent with red and black plumage with dramatic golden facial tufts. In either form, care should be taken to differentiate the Slavonain Grebe from the very similar Black Necked - in the Summer it is fairly easy as the red neck of the Slavonian contrasts with the namesake Black Neck. In Winter, it is a slightly more tricky affair where you might have to rely on contrasting the shapes of their hoods. Contrary to normal behaviour, this particular Slavonian has apparently been present at Pitsford for a long stretch of the Summer.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipediformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Podiceps
Subspecies: P. a. auritus, P. a. cornutus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Very rare breeding Species (40 pairs) and Uncommon Winter Migrant (approx. 1100 birds)

 - Birds seen at Rutland Water and Pitsford Reservoir.

Further Notes: Birdforum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

OTHER NAMES: Eared Grebe

Latin Etymology: Podiceps ("vent-foot") nigricollis ("black-collared")

Summer plumage adult Black-necked Grebe (subspecies P. n. nigricollis) at Laguna Navaseca, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis

Weight: 200-735g  /  Length: 28-34cm  /  Wingspan: 57cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

The Black-necked Grebe is one of our rarer grebes - of the three less common species in the UK, it has by far the smallest wintering population, and thus finding one might be a matter of chance (or the ability to check for reports of them). Black-necked grebes seem to congregate on reservoirs and lakes during the winter (and occasionally in Summer), but it is during the former time of the year that you probably have the best chance of finding them. Differentiating between black-necked and slavonian may be difficult at range while in Winter plumage but the black-neck of its name is the deciding factor, with the throat of the Slavonian being white.  In Japan, it seems like a bit more of a common species in Winter; I found birds on the sea on both Honshu and Hokkaido while at Laguna Navaseca in Spain is was positively abundant.

 - Related Species -
ORDER: Podicepiformes
FAMILY: Podicipedidae
GENUS: Podiceps
SUBSPECIES: P. n. nigricollis, P. n. gurneyi, P. n. californicus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce Breeding Species (40-60 pairs) and Scarce Winter Migrant (approx. 130 birds)

 - Migrant birds seen at Rutland Water (2 Winter plumage adults in 2009) and Pitsford Reservoir (1 Summer plumage adult 2011), .

JAPAN - Japanese - ハジロカイツブリ / Ha-jiro kaitsuburi ("White-winged Grebe")
Widespread Winter Migrant

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Seen at Kamakura (1 Winter plumage adult, on the sea) and Akkeshi (1 Winter Plumage adult, on the sea)

SPAIN - Spanish - Zampullín Cuellinegro - "Black-necked Grebe"

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Abundant at Laguna Navaseca (dozens of Summer plumage birds)

Further Notes: Birdforum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Podiceps ("vent-foot") cristatus ("crested")

Adult breeding plumage Great Crested Grebe (subspecies P. c. cristatus) at Rutland Water, Rutland - July 2012

Featured Subspecies: Pociceps cristatus cristatus
Weight: 900-1500g  /  Length: 46-51cm  /  Wingspan: 59-73cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

One of Britain's two "common" grebes, perhaps the Great Crested Grebe's biggest claim to fame is that the RSPB was set up in part to protect this species from over hunting (for its feathers in women's hats) and thus is in part responsible for the continued existance of a lot of other species. The great crested grebe itself is found on most large bodies of water - most lake sites I visit seem to have good numbers of them. Photographing them is perhaps easier on smaller (or at least narrower) bodies of water where you'll be closer to them, or in locations where they are nesting within view of the shore.  It is found over most of the Old World, and thus is one of the more omnipresent species in that range.

Related Species:
Order: Podicepiformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Podiceps
Subspecies: P. c. cristatus, P. c. infuscatus, P. c. australis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Fairly common resident (5300 adults) and fairly common Winter visitor (23,000 birds)

 - Birds seen at sites including Rutland Water, Regent's Park, Brent Reservoir and Pitsford Reservoir.

JAPAN - Japanese - カンムリカイツブリ / Kanmuri kaitsuburi ("Crested Grebe")

A Winter visitor.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: A single bird on the sea at Kamakura.

Further Notes: Birdforum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

OTHER NAMES: Dabchick

Latin Etymology: Tachybaptus ("quick to sink under") ruficollis ("ruddy")

Adult Winter plumage Little Grebe (subspecies T. r. capensis) at Regent's Park, London - December 2012

Featured Subspecies: Tachybaptus ruficollis capensis
Weight: 140g  /  Length: 23-29cm  /  Wingspan: 40-45cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The second most common of the grebes, the little grebe (also known as the dabchick) is a small, round grebe with a short bill. It's not that hard to find in theory, but its small size and frequent diving may often make it slightly harder to pin down then it really should be when among lots of other waterfowl. Photographing it is the usual case of how close both it and you are to the shoreline, which means that individuals accustomed to humans such as those in city parks are far more photograph-able than their rural cousins.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipidiformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Tachybaptus
Subspecies: T. r. capensis, T. r. iraquensis, T. r. poggei, T. r. kunikyonis, T. r. philippensis, T. r. cotabato, T. r. vulcanorum, T. r. tricolor, T. r. albescens

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Fairly common breeding species (10,000 pairs) and Common Winter Visitor (16000 birds)

 - Sites include Rutland Water, Regent's Park, Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir, Ditchford Gravel Pits and Eyebrook Reservoir

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ពពុះទឹក 

Resident

SINGAPORE / CAMBODIA 2019 TRIP - One at Phnom Krom

Further Notes: Birdforum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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