Great Grebe (Podiceps major)
Great Grebe, Taim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, August 2004 - click for larger image The Great Grebe is distributed in southern South America with a disjunct population in north-west Peru. It is found on areas of open water such as lakes as well as marshes. Outside the breeding season it is found on the coast and occasionally on the open sea.

It feeds by diving in open water mainly to catch small fish.

Great Grebe, Taim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, August 2004 - click for larger image It is very large for a grebe. The dark head contrasting with the reddish neck is distinctive. Photo 1 shows an adult in breeding plumage while photo 2 show the non-breeding plumage with reduced red on the neck, white on the breast and a yellowish bill. Both these photos were taken on the same day, 31st August 2004 at Taim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, so some birds were in breeding plumage ahead of others at that date.
Great Grebe, Lago Villarica, Chile, November 2005 - click for larger image Photos 3, 4, 5 and 6 show adults in breeding plumage but with a blacker head. These belong to the race P. m. navasi found in the south of Chile and were taken on Lago Villarica (in pouring rain). Photo 7 shows a non-breeding adult of the nominate race from Concon in central Chile.
Great Grebe, Lago Villarica, Chile, November 2005 - click for larger image
Great Grebe, Lago Villarica, Chile, November 2005 - click for larger image
Great Grebe, Lago Villarica, Chile, November 2005 - click for larger image
Great Grebe, Concon, Chile, November 2005 - click for larger image
Previous Page Back to Index Next Page

If you do not see a menu on the left, you may have arrived at this page from another site. Please click Home to get to my main page. Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites