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Eared Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
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About the Eared Grebe
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. The rest of the upper parts, including the head, neck, and breast, are coloured black to blackish brown. The flanks are tawny rufous to maroon-chestnut, and the abdomen is white. In its non-breeding plumage, this bird has greyish-black upper parts, including the top of the head and a vertical stripe on the back of the neck. The flanks are also greyish-black. The rest of the body is a white or whitish colour. The juvenile has more brown in its darker areas.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Podiceps nigricollis
- Family
- Grebes
- Order
- Podicipediformes
Similar species
Other members of the grebes family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
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