Eared Grebe Vs Horned Grebe Winter

Horned grebeis less common but still winters in reasonably good numbers on salt water bays and estuaries. They typically nest on marshy ponds but this is not helpful as the horned grebe nests in similar habitat. Eared grebe often congregate in large groups often in flocks of 100 birds.

Probably as an adaptation to life in the arid west it is flexible in distribution quickly taking advantage of temporary or man made new bodies of water.

Eared grebe vs horned grebe winter. During winter and migration they prefer smaller shallow water bodies. A common grebe of freshwater lakes in the west. Horned grebes tend to be more black and white eared grebes more dusky overall especially on the neck. The horned grebe is on the left and the eared grebe is on the right.

Familiar to most north american birders in its black and white winter plumage the horned grebe is more striking in its red and black breeding feathers. Its horns are yellowish patches of feathers behind its eyes that it can raise and lower at will. They breed in colonies in shallow wetlands in western north america and head by the hundreds and thousands to salty inland waters to feast on brine shrimp before. The horned grebe or slavonian grebe podiceps auritus is a relatively small waterbird in the family podicipedidaethere are two known subspecies.

The slight upward curve to the bottom of the bill is more obvious in this photograph. But first year horned grebes can be as dusky necked as eared grebes. The eared grebe in this photo has much less white on the face and neck than the bird pictured above. Nests in dense colonies sometimes congregates in huge numbers on lakes during migration and winter.

It is rather rare inland. Cornutus which breeds in north america. Also widespread in eurasia where it is called slavonian grebe. Similar to eared grebe but much less gregarious it seldom nests in colonies and seldom gathers in large flocks at other seasons.

The bill is thinner than the horned grebe. The eurasian subspecies is distributed over most of northern europe and the palearctic breeding from greenland to western china. In winter non breeding plumage both species are generally dark gray above and paler below. Auritus which breeds in the palearctic and p.

Eared grebeis widespread throughout california both inland and along the coast and nests locally. A small diver found mostly on northern marshes in summer coastal bays in winter. Gregarious at all seasons. The following image shows both eared and horned grebe in winter plumage.

Huge numbers appear in migration and winter. The most abundant grebe in the world the eared grebe is a small waterbird with a very thin bill and a bright red eye. The oldest recorded horned grebe was at least 5 years 11 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in the northwest territories in 2007 the same place where it. Eared grebe range map.

In the summer months golden wisps fan out from their cheeks as they dance and run across the water courting.