Great Grebe

This is a very large grebe, with proportions more like a goose or a cormorant than a typical grebe. They range in length from 67 to 80 cm (26.5 to 31.5 in) and usually weigh about 1,600 grams (3.5 pounds), but can scale to at least 2 kg (4.4 lb). They are buffy-rufous on the neck and chest, blackish on the back and have a whitish belly. The head is sooty gray with a reddish-brown eye. Due to its size and unique coloration, the great grebe is unlikely to be confused with any other bird, including other grebes.

This species occurs mainly in open waterways. Most birds are seen on low altitude lakes and sluggish rivers (often surrounded by forests), as well as estuarine marshes. While breeding, it frequents the heavily vegetated inlets off of large lakes. Outside of the breeding season, most birds will move to estuaries and bays, usually heavy with kelp (occasionally, they even are seen on the open sea). Non-breeding birds may live along the coasts all year. These birds are widespread and common through most of their range. Much of their native habitat has not been cleared, especially in the southern portions of their range.

The great grebe lives on a diet mostly of fish, sometimes over 11 cm (4.3 in) long, but usually smaller. Prey competition can occasionally occur with the neotropic cormorant over fish, but that species (in spite of smaller body size) usually takes larger fish. Also insects, crustaceans and mollusks are taken. The diet can switch to almost half crabs during the wintertime along the coasts, and these birds can also take the young of other waterbirds, especially coots.