Eared Grebe Photo Gallery

Breeding adult

Fairly small grebe with peaked head and thin, straight bill. Breeding adult has black head and neck with golden feathers fanning out behind eye. Sides are chestnut.

Nonbreeding adult/immature

Fairly small grebe with small head and thin, straight bill. Black cap extends downward into a smudge on the cheek. Grayish neck accentuates white chin patch.

Breeding adult

Breeding adults have a fan of golden feathers at the "ear," with a sooty body and cinnamon-red sides. Grebes have lobed rather than fully webbed feet that sit at the rear of their body.

Immature

Small grebe with slender neck and rounded or peaked head. Immatures have brownish smudged necks.

Molting adult

Breeding adults

Eared Grebes have an elaborate courtship. The dance starts with an advertising call and progresses into a series of dives, feather raising, exaggerated body positions, and "running" across the water with neck extended.

Breeding adult

Fairly small grebe with slender bill. At distance, breeding adults can appear all dark.

Breeding adult

Often occurs in flocks, sometimes very large during migration (up to hundreds of thousands). Note peaked head and slender bill.

Nonbreeding adult/immature

In nonbreeding plumage, note peaked or rounded head, gray wash on cheeks, and white chin. Lacks a clear dividing line between hindneck and crown.

Adult and chick

Nonbreeding adult/immature (with Bufflehead)

Note very different shape compared to ducks (even small ones like the Bufflehead at left): slender neck and small head with short, thin, bill.

Immature