Horned grebe
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| Horned grebe in breeding plumage. Photographed in Edmonton, Alberta in July 2013 | |
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P. auritus
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| Binomial name | |
| Podiceps auritus |
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| File:Slavonian Grebe-location-map-en.svg | |
| Breeding range Winter range | |
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Colymbus auritus |
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The horned grebe (Podiceps auritus)[2] is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It is also known as the Slavonian grebe. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. P. auritus is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Description
The horned grebe is a small grebe at 31–38 cm (12–15 in) long with a 46–55 cm (18–22 in) wingspan. Unmistakable in summer, the plumage of both male and female includes a black head with brown puffy earlike tufts along the sides of its face. It shows a deep red neck, scarlet eyes, and a small, straight black bill tipped with white. It rides high in the water.
Subspecies
Breeding
Horned grebes breed in vegetated areas of freshwater lakes across Europe and Asia. It also breeds in remote inland parts of the United States and much of Canada. Most birds migrate in winter to the coast. During this time, this small grebe is mainly white with a sharply defined black cap. During breeding, the male's call is heard as an odd, striking series of loud croaks and chattering notes followed by prolonged shrieks.
Like all grebes, it builds a nest on the water's edge, since its legs are set very far back and it cannot walk well. Usually two eggs are laid, and the striped young are sometimes carried on the adult's back.
In culture
Folk names of this bird include devil-diver, hell-diver, pink-eyed diver, and water witch. Its name is often abbreviated by British birders to "Slav grebe" or simply "Slav".
In the lore of the Blackfeet, the trickster Old Man tricked several ducks into closing their eyes and dancing while he killed them one by one. However, the smallest duck looked, saw Old Man, and alerted the other ducks. This "duck" was the horned grebe, who became the first to notice trouble.[3]
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Podiceps auritus. |
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Wikispecies has information related to: Podiceps auritus |
- Podiceps auritus in the Flickr: Field Guide Birds of the World
- Podiceps auritus on Avibase
- BTO BirdFacts – Slavonian Grebe
- Horned grebe videos, photos, and sounds at the Internet Bird Collection
- Horned grebe photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
- BirdLife species factsheet for Podiceps auritus
- Audio recordings of Horned grebe on Xeno-canto.
