Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

50 cmLength88 cmWingspan731 gWeight

The largest grebe in the Old World, it swims and dives well and has ornamental feathers on the head and neck in summer.

Busiest months: April–May · Most records: United Kingdom, Spain, Australia

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Ornamental feathers on head and neck in summer
Plumage patterned in black, orange-brown and white
White above eye and pink bill in winter plumage
Underparts whitish, upperparts gray-brown

Male, female and young

Sexes differ little; chicks have black-and-white stripes on the head, which disappear in their first winter.

Voice

Loud barking “rah-rah-rah”, also clicking “kek” notes and low growls.

Where and when it's recorded

Great Crested Grebe has been recorded at 2,142 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 85 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Amwell HMWT NRUnited Kingdom8,182 records
Walthamstow WetlandsUnited Kingdom3,964 records
Rutland WaterUnited Kingdom3,563 records

More places

Attenborough Nature Centre and NWT NRUnited Kingdom3,371 records
Titchwell Marsh RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom3,274 records
Western Treatment PlantAustralia3,082 records
Elton ReservoirUnited Kingdom2,979 records
Herdsman LakeAustralia2,952 records
WWT London Wetland CentreUnited Kingdom2,872 records
Brent ReservoirUnited Kingdom2,557 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United Kingdom Spain Australia China Germany Czechia Switzerland Poland

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

Questions

How big is the Great Crested Grebe?

The Great Crested Grebe is about 50 cm long, with a wingspan of 88 cm and weighs around 731 g.

Where does the Great Crested Grebe live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic, Africa, Oriental, Australasia: temperate Eurasia, locally northwestern India, to northeastern Russia, northeastern China and north-central Japan; northeastern, eastern, southern Africa; Australia and South Island (New Zealand). It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Spain and Australia.

When is the best time to see the Great Crested Grebe?

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

Is the Great Crested Grebe endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Great Crested Grebe as Least Concern.

What does the Great Crested Grebe eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Great Crested Grebe in?

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

At a glance

Length: 50 cm
Wingspan: 88 cm
Weight: 731 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: On the water surface
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 184 mm
Tail: 41 mm
Bill: 58 mm
Tarsus: 61 mm

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

Range

Palearctic, Africa, Oriental, Australasia: temperate Eurasia, locally northwestern India, to northeastern Russia, northeastern China and north-central Japan; northeastern, eastern, southern Africa; Australia and South Island (New Zealand)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 1

Podiceps cristatus cristatus Eurasia from nw Europe, s Scandinavia to s Spain through s Russia and n, wc Mongolia, and n Afghanistan, locally in nw India, to ne Russia, n Honshu (nc Japan) and ne China | non-breeding: to coasts of Baltic, Black, and Mediterranean seas, Persian Gulf, n Indian subcontinent to e China and s Japan