Bill is dark with white tip, eyes are dark red. Huge numbers appear in migration and winter. Gallery of horned_grebe pictures submitted by photographers. Familiar to most North American birders in its black-and-white winter plumage, the Horned Grebe is more striking in its red-and-black breeding feathers. Head has black cap, white face, conspicuous buff-orange to yellow ear plumes. It is rather rare inland or on fresh water. Familiar to most North American birders in its black-and-white winter plumage, the Horned Grebe is more striking in its red-and-black breeding feathers. The Ultimate Wisconsin Winter Grebe Guide. A common grebe of freshwater lakes in the west. ID Challenge: Horned and Eared Grebes in winter Horned Grebe, Fernhill Wetlands, Forest Grove, Oregon on 24 November 2010 by Greg Gillson. We spend 90% of net income on conservation, public education and advocacy. ... Black-necked grebe. The following image shows both Eared and Horned Grebe in winter plumage. Grebes are small to medium-sized water birds. Probably as an adaptation to life in the arid west, it is flexible in distribution, quickly taking advantage of temporary or man-made new bodies of water. Horned Grebe is less common but still winters in reasonably good numbers on salt water bays and estuaries. Read more. The Horned Grebe is on the left, and the Eared Grebe is on the right. This even went as far as proposing monophyly for grebes, loons, and … The Eared Grebe in this photo has much less white on the face and neck than the bird pictured above. If you are close enough to see the yellow tip, then you are looking at a horned grebe, because the bill is entirely dark on eared grebes.The blackish crown on horned grebes ends at the eye and contrasts sharply with the white of the lower face. Animals Membership Science Education Support Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center In the breeding season, its upperparts are dark, and its underparts are rufous. Read more. Gregarious at all seasons; nests in dense colonies, sometimes congregates in huge numbers on lakes during migration and winter. The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International. Similar to Eared Grebe, but much less gregarious, it seldom nests in colonies and seldom gathers in large flocks at other seasons. Horned Grebe: Small grebe, red-brown neck, breast and flanks, nearly black throat and back. Familiar to most North American birders in its black-and-white winter plumage, the Horned Grebe is more striking in its red-and-black breeding feathers. As a consequence, the discredited grebe-loon link was discussed again. Cosmopolitan species like Horned and Eared (Slavonian and Black-necked respectively on the other side of the oceans) Grebes and Red-necked Grebe breed on freshwater bodies across the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere and turn up anywhere from sewage treatment plants to saltwater in the winter. Slavonian grebe. Read more. Horned grebes have relatively straight… Read more Also widespread in Eurasia, where it is called Slavonian Grebe. Horned grebes have relatively straight, short, fairly thin bills. The bright white front is obvious and is usually visible at great distances, especially when the bird is facing you. Horned grebes in winter typically have an entirely white throat and chest that contrasts sharply with the dark gray sides, upperparts, and especially the sides and back of the neck. Eared Grebe is widespread throughout California, both inland and along the coast, and nests locally. Its "horns" are yellowish patches of feathers behind its eyes that it can raise and lower at will. The North American and Eurasian species are all, of necessity, migratory over much or all of their ranges, and those species that winter at sea are also seen regularly in flight. Read more. Eared vs Horned Grebe. The cladistics vs. phenetics debate of the mid-20th century unfortunately revived scientific interest in generalizing comparisons. Red-necked grebe. The back end of an eared grebe will also appear to stick up in the water, where the back end of a horned grebe will not. Eared Grebes breed throughout the west from southern Canada to Minnesota, south to Texas, and west to California. Little grebe. Great crested grebe. This grebe has a slightly upturned bill and a peak over the eye. The smallest grebe in Washington, the Eared Grebe is similar in appearance to the Horned Grebe, but is somewhat smaller and lighter-weight. November 17, ... (Click here to view a video with both Horned and Eared Grebes in winter plumage). Confusing, huh? Feeds on aquatic insects, fish and crustaceans. A small diver found mostly on northern marshes in summer, coastal bays in winter.