Clark's Grebe

Clark's Grebe is black-and-white, with a long, slender, swan-like neck. It ranges in size from 22–29 inches . Among its distinguishing features is its bill, which is slightly upturned and bright yellow, whereas the Western Grebe's bill is straight and greenish-yellow. It shows white around its eyes, whereas black appears around the eyes of the Western Grebe. The downy young are white, not gray.

Picture of the Clark's Grebe has been licensed under a GFDL
Original source: Own work
Author: Calibas
Permission: GNU Free Documentation License

The Clark's Grebe is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Clark's Grebes perform the most spectacular displays of the family. The displays of Western and Clark's Grebes are almost identical; the only apparent difference is that one of many calls differs in the number of notes. back to top Diet - In all seasons and habitats, the primary food of Western Grebes is fish. More

The bill of Clark's Grebe is bright yellow to orange-yellow. back to top Pictures - back to top Habitat - In winter Clark's Grebes are found mostly on saltwater bays. During the breeding season they prefer freshwater wetlands with a mix of open water and emergent vegetation. More

Clark's Grebe: The Clark's Grebe was named after Mr. J.H. Clark, who collected the first known specimen of the bird in Chihuahua, Mexico. from: :S.F. Baird and others, 1884, The Water Birds of North America, about the Clark's Grebe: "... This form, which bears a very strong resemblance to AEchmophorus occidentalis , was regarded by Mr. Lawrence as being a distinct species, but is now considered as only a variety. More

Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) is a North American species in the grebe family. Until the 1980s, it was thought to be a pale morph of the Western Grebe, which it resembles in size, range, and behavior. Intermediates between the two species are known. Clark's Grebe is black-and-white, with a long, slender, swan-like neck. It ranges in size from 22–29 inches (56–74 cm). More

a Clark's Grebe has white all around its eyes while a Western Grebe has black and dark grey all around its eyes; 2) the bird in my photo has a little white and some light grey around its eye, with no black, and just a tiny amount of dark grey to the right of its eye; 3) further, the bill of the Clark's Grebe is usually more yellow than that of the Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis); 4) other photos that I took at that time show More

Clark's Grebe was originally regarded as a distinct species and then as a color phase of the Western Grebe. * These two birds are once again considered separate species because they nest side by side with very little interbreeding. * A group of grebes are collectively known as a "water dance" of grebes. More

Western and Clark's Grebe were only split into two distinct species in 1985, as prior to that, they were regarded as one species. The two species are very similar, especially in their winter plumage when their primary differentiating characteristic (facial pattern) becomes nearly identical (much less dark around the eye in winter-plumaged Western Grebes). Winter-plumaged birds are best distinguished by bill color. The photos of the two birds above are both summer-plumaged birds. More

The Clark's Grebe is identical in size and shape to the Western Grebe, and was once considered to be a lighter morph of that species. Bill colors are slightly different, and the Clark's Grebe has white both above and below the eye. Note that in winter, facial patterns are nearly identical for both species, making identification much more difficult. Habitat: Sloughs and shallow lakes with emergent vegetation. Diet: Mostly fish in all seasons. More

● Foraging & Feeding: Clark's Grebe: Diet consists mostly of fish, but also takes insects and other invertebrates; sometimes eats amphibians and plants; forages by diving from the surface. ● Breeding & nesting: Clark's Grebe: One to six pale blue eggs are laid on a floating nest anchored to reeds; usually nests in dense, noisy colonies. Incubation ranges from 23 to 24 days and is carried out by both parents. ● Similar species: Clark's Grebe: Western Grebe has greener bill. More

* Cornell University - All About Birds Clark's Grebe Information * South Dakota Birds and Birding Clark's Grebe Information and Photographs * Clark's Grebe videos on the Internet Bird Collection * Clark's Grebe photo gallery VIREO * Aechmophorus clarkii (TSN 554027). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 24 February 2009. More

Clark's grebes were once thought to a lighter coloured variation or morph of the western grebe rather than a separate species. Both species are found in north America, often together, and they perform similar spectacular and elaborate courtship displays involving mate feeding and rushing though there is little interbreeding. They build floating nests of vegetation in freshwater wetlands and marshy areas and use a dagger-like bill for catching fish while diving underwater. More

Home Guide to Birds of North America Clark's Grebe Description Description - BREEDING MALE - A large, long-necked grebe with a long, pointed bill. The Clark’s Grebe is boldly patterned in black and white, with a black back, hind neck, and crown, and white underparts. The black on the head does not encircle the red eye, and its bill is orange-yellow. White secondaries. More

Clark's Grebe - Oregon Shore Birds Clark's Grebe Location in Oregon Blue is Winter range - Red is Summer range Purple is Year-round range - Yellow is Migration range Clark's Grebe range Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii - Gregarious; nests in reeds along broad, freshwater lakes. Winters on seacoasts and sheltered bays and large inland bodies of water. Formerly considered one species with Western Grebe. More

Picture of Aechmophorus clarkii above has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution.
Original source: Mike Baird from Morro Bay, USA
Author: Mike Baird from Morro Bay, USA
Permission: Some rights reserved
Order : Podicipediformes
Family : Podicipedidae
Genus : Aechmophorus
Species : clarkii
Authority : (Lawrence, 1858)