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Great Crested GrebeAlternate name(s): "Crested Grebe", "Tippet Grebe", "Loon", "Gaunt"; Misnomer: "Carr Goose" ![]() Size: 47-61 cm; wing span 59-73 cm Weight: 0.9-1.5 kg |
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Photos |
Race "australis"
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ADULT |
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PAIR |
Close-up lateral view of a pair of Great Crested Grebes
performing their bonding ritual(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Pair of Great Crested Grebes
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Samsonvale, QLD, January 2018]
Pair of Great Crested Grebes checking out a family of
Pink-eared Ducks
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Frontal view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage,
i.e. with prominent crest and neck frill
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Frontal view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage,
with its head turned sideways
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Near-frontal view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2011]
Great Crested Grebe seen still wet, shortly after resurfacing from a dive
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2011]
Near-lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Kingaroy, QLD, October 2015]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2022]
Lateral view of a wild-looking Great Crested Grebe
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Samsonvale, QLD, May 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a Great Crested Grebe resting on a suburban
lake
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Dorsal view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage,
i.e. with prominent crest and neck frill
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
About half the population of Great Crested Grebes found on this
water storage dam
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, October 2014]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe in breeding
plumage
in comparison with two
Australasian Grebes
in non-breeding
plumage
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, November 2019]
Distant lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe in low flight
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, October 2018]
Distant near-dorsal view of a Great Crested Grebe in low flight
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, October 2018]
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NON-BREEDING |
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe; the inconspicuous crest
and frill may indicate that this bird is in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, July 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of a first-year Great Crested Grebe; the
plumage is
mostly like an adult's, but the crest and frill are not
yet fully developed
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, July 2016]
Partly obscured lateral view of a first-year Great Crested Grebe
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, March 2022]
Lateral view of a first-year Great Crested Grebe, still ruffled
from its last dive
[Macquarie Marshes
NR, NSW, April 2011]
Dorsal view of a first-year Great Crested Grebe
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, July 2016]
Two first-year Great Crested Grebes; note how the
plumage of the
bird in the foreground (out-of-focus) is not as well developed yet
as that of the bird at the back
[Macquarie Marshes
NR, NSW, April 2011]
Frontal comparison of a first-year Great Crested Grebe, left, with a
Hoary-headed Grebe
in breeding plumage
with
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, March 2023]
Lateral view of a juvenile Great Crested Grebe
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, May 2022]
Great Crested Grebe with juvenile in tow
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bushell's Lagoon, Wilberforce, near Sydney, NSW, May 2016]
Juvenile Great Crested Grebe (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bushell's Lagoon, Wilberforce, near Sydney, NSW, May 2016]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Nov - Jan | Eggs: 2 - 4 | Incubation period: 23 - 26 days | Fledging age: N/A |
Nest building: Female & male | Incubation: Female & male | Dependent care: Female & male |
Great Crested Grebe chicks are precocial, i.e. they leave the nest shortly after hatching. During the first few days they usually return to the nest; later they ride on the backs of their parents, especially when seeking protection.
There is now a separate page describing Great Crested Grebes sharing their parental duties.
Pair of Great Crested Grebes working on a nest platform
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Pair of Great Crested Grebes working on a nest platform
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Female Great Crested Grebe adopting a submissive position,
indicating that she is ready for the male to mount her
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Pair of Great Crested Grebes mating
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Aquatic plants | Height above ground: N/A |
Great Crested Grebe nests are partially floating mounds of pieces of aquatic plants built up from an underwater object. When leaving the nest, grebes will usually pull some leaves over the eggs to cover them.
Great Crested Grebe still incubating while 3 chicks are already
sheltering under the wings
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]
Close-up lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe with a
"sweet hitchhiker"
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]
The first thing this Great Crested Grebe did when arriving back at
its nest was to turn the eggs - note the unusually large clutch of 5
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]
Near-frontal view of a Great Crested Grebe on its nest
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Near-lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe on its nest
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, January 2015]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe on its nest in a relaxed stance
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, January 2015]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe on its nest in a more alert
stance (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, January 2015]
When you want the location of your nest to be secret, you cannot
just chop down reeds for building the nest platform in the immediate
surroundings - Great Crested Grebe carrying nesting material
across a lake
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 52 x 36 mm | Colour: White/creamy to dark-brown | Shape: Tapered oval |
Grebe eggs start off with a relatively light colour. Since the shell is absorbent, they take on colour pigments from the nesting material, turning progressively darker as incubation progresses.
Close-up view of an unusual clutch of 5 Great Crested Grebe eggs
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]
Same place, same pair? "Change of guard" at a Great Crested Grebe nest
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2023]
Same place, same pair? Another clutch of 5 Great Crested Grebe eggs,
here being rotated by the incoming incubator after a "change of
guard"
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2023]
Great Crested Grebe egg that was seen to be left unincubated (although
guarded by one adult) for more than 30 minutes
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Great Crested Grebe returning after more than 30 minutes to
incubate a single egg
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
These two Great Crested Grebes may still be learning: "Let me lend
you a ha... errr bill with that, honey!"
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: ? | Mobility: Vagrant/dispersive | Elementary unit: Solitary |
Great Crested Grebes have elaborate courtship and bonding rituals. Apart from displaying their crests and neck frills to each other, a pair will perform a courtship "dance" and the male will present the female with parts of aquatic plants as nesting material.
Pair of Great Crested Grebes performing their courtship dance,
which is a bonding ritual
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Pair of Great Crested Grebes performing their courtship dance,
which is a bonding ritual
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Pair of Great Crested Grebes performing their courtship dance,
which is a bonding ritual
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
After that exertion one needs a break - pair of Great Crested Grebes
resting
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Meet "spikey" - near-lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe
displaying its crest and neck frill
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe
displaying its crest and neck frill
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
Dorsal view of a Great Crested Grebe
displaying its crest and neck frill
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]
There is now a separate page describing Great Crested Grebes sharing their parental duties.
Great Crested Grebes are very good divers that can cover long distances under water and stay below the surface for a considerable time.
Great Crested Grebe going for a dive
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
This Great Crested Grebe has been digging dirt
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]
Great Crested Grebe hunting technique(?): Make a big splash...
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]
... then see who twitches
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]
Two Great Crested Grebe chicks riding piggy back on one of their parents
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2023]
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Food, Diet |
This Great Crested Grebe chick was fed 3 fish that barely fit in the
bill in the space of about a minute
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2023]
Great Crested Grebe bringing its catch, which looks like a bug,
to its chick
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, January 2022]
Great Crested Grebe bringing its catch, which looks like a bug,
to its chick
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, January 2022]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
crgrebe_jp_20200314.m4a |
cristatus (Portugal) |
Contact calls? Q&A | © JP | |
crgrebe_20200316.m4a |
australis (NW NSW) |
Contact calls? Q&A (+ White-plumed Honeyeater) |
© MD | |
crgrebe_20161218.mp3 |
australis (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
crgrebe_20161218_2.mp3 |
australis (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
crgrebe_cp_20221123.mp3 |
australis (WA) |
Begging calls (chicks) | © CP |
More Great Crested Grebe sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.