Podiceps auritus
The Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus), a small, elegant diving bird, measures approximately 31-38 cm (12-15 inches) in length with a wingspan of 46-55 cm (18-22 inches) and weighs 300-570 grams (10.6-20.1 oz). During its striking breeding plumage, it sports a dark, almost black back, reddish-chestnut flanks, a pristine white belly, and, most notably, a distinctive golden-orange fan-like tuft of feathers extending back from behind its red eyes, often referred to as "horns," contrasting sharply w...
This species primarily inhabits shallow, freshwater wetlands, ponds, and small lakes with emergent vegetation for breeding, transitioning to larger open lakes, estuaries, and coastal marine waters during winter. It prefers low-elevation environments.
Their diet primarily consists of small fish, aquatic insects (larvae and adults), and crustaceans, which they skillfully catch through underwater pursuit-diving.
Horned Grebes are diurnal, spending their days foraging and engaging in social activities, typically roosting on the water's surface or within dense vegetation at night. Their primary foraging strategy is pursuit-diving, using their powerful lobed feet to propel themselves underwater in pursuit o...
The Horned Grebe boasts a circumpolar breeding range, extending across subarctic and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, it breeds extensively from Alaska across Canada's prairies and boreal forests, reaching south into the northern Great Plains of the United States. Eura...
Least Concern
- The "horns" of the Horned Grebe are not true horns but rather golden-orange tufts of feathers that can be raised or lowered. - Horned Grebe chicks are famous for riding on their parents' backs, often tucked under their wings for warmth and protection, even while the parent dives underwater. - T...