Grebes

Birds of North America

Podicipedidae

Lives, Habitats & Pictures of the Grebes

A juvenile Pied-billed Grebe on a lagoon in mid-August near Embrun, Ontario, Canada

Grebes are different from other waterfowl such as swans, geese,ducks and loons, because they have lobed toes. These birds are divers, who use their wings to propell themselves under water in order to catch their food. Similar to loons, they are more able to swim in water, than they are to walk on land, because their legs are farther back on their bodies than most waterfowl, making it very difficult for them to walk.

There are seven types found in North America. The Horned Grebe and Pied-billed Grebe have the widest ranges. These birds are more likely to be seen from the central parts of the continent into the more western regions. The Least Grebe is the smallest in the family and lives in the most southerly regions of the United States and into Mexico. The Clark's Grebe, Western Grebe, Eared Grebe and the Red-necked Grebe are found in the western regions.

Click on the bird names listed below to see pictures of the Grebes of North America
Clark's Grebe	Eared Grebe	Horned Grebe	Least Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe	Red-necked Grebe	Western Grebe