Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis Brehm, CL, 1831

28–34 cmLength58 cmWingspan412 gWeight

In the breeding season, it has red eyes and a black neck, with a fan of golden-ochre feathers behind each eye resembling an earring.

Busiest months: January, April and October–November · Most records: United States, Spain, Canada

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Fan of ochre feathers behind eye in breeding season
Head, neck and breast black to blackish-brown in breeding season
Eyes bright red
Bill slender and upturned, black in breeding season

Male, female and young

Sexes similar; juveniles resemble adults in non-breeding plumage, but the dark areas are browner, with less black.

Voice

When breeding, it gives a quiet “ooeek”, rising further from an already high pitch, and a short “puuii”.

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: January, April and October–November · Most records: United States, Spain, Canada

Black-necked Grebe has been recorded at 1,715 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 90 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Southeast Farallon IslandUnited States9,897 records
Henderson Bird Viewing PreserveUnited States9,391 records
Hornsby BendUnited States8,359 records

More places

Antelope Island SP – CausewayUnited States7,829 records
Bolsa Chica Ecological ReserveUnited States7,504 records
Piute PondsUnited States6,645 records
IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, IrvineUnited States6,204 records
Willcox – Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf CourseUnited States5,780 records
Frank G. Bonelli RP/Puddingstone Reservoir and vicinityUnited States4,863 records
Moss Landing – Jetty Road, north jetty & State BeachUnited States4,649 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Spain Canada United Kingdom Mexico China South Africa Germany

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-necked grebe or eared grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It was described in 1831 by Christian Ludwig Brehm. Its breeding plumage features distinctive ochre-coloured feathers which extend behind its eye and over its ear coverts.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-necked Grebe?

The Black-necked Grebe is about 28–34 cm long, with a wingspan of 58 cm and weighs around 412 g.

Where does the Black-necked Grebe live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic, Africa, North America, Middle America: temperate Eurasia to Russian Far East and northeastern China; eastern, southern Africa; southwestern Canada and western, west-central USA to central Mexico. It is most often recorded in United States, Spain and Canada.

When is the best time to see the Black-necked Grebe?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, April, October and November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-necked Grebe endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-necked Grebe as Least Concern.

What does the Black-necked Grebe eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Black-necked Grebe in?

It belongs to the family Grebes (Podicipedidae), order Podicipediformes.

At a glance

Length: 28–34 cm
Wingspan: 58 cm
Weight: 412 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: On the water surface
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 127 mm
Tail: 28 mm
Bill: 26 mm
Tarsus: 40 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic, Africa, North America, Middle America: temperate Eurasia to Russian Far East and northeastern China; eastern, southern Africa; southwestern Canada and western, west-central USA to central Mexico

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 1

Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis temperate Eurasia (s of Scandinavia) from Britain and Spain e through Baltic states through Kazakhstan, n, c Mongolia patchily to Russian Far East and ne China | non-breeding: to coasts of n Africa, Arabian Pen., Black and Caspian seas, nw Indian subcontinent, se China, Korean Pen. and Japan