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Great Crested Grebe

(Podiceps cristatus)
: "Crested Grebe", "Tippet Grebe", "Loon", "Gaunt"; Misnomer: "Carr Goose"

Aboriginal name(s): "kiyirn" [tjapwurrung}; "kali" (WA)
Size: 47-61 cm; wing span 59-73 cm
Weight: 0.9-1.5 kg

Description

Classification

Distribution

Sightings

Photos

Breeding

Nest

Eggs

Behaviour

Food

Call/s

Physical description

Click here for physical description of this species Click here for a physical description

Great Crested Grebes are the largest Australian grebes by far. Both sexes have the same plumage, but breeding and non-breeding plumage are different. The non-breeding plumage is rather plain, with a dark grey-brown back (cap, nape of neck, mantle, wings) and a whiteish-grey front (face, frontal neck, breast & belly). The crest is very small in the non-breeding season. During the breeding season the black crest is more prominent, especially in combination with the black-edged, rufous-brown neck frill. The eyes are red, the bill is yellow and pointed; in the breeding season it takes on a darker, orange hue. Juveniles have a bold black-and-white stripe pattern on their heads and necks.

Taxonomy, classification

See Great Crested Grebe at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Great Crested Grebe is available HERE .

There are 3 extant races of Great Crested Grebes, which are a widely-distributed partly migratory, partly sedentary species. Nominate race "cristatus" is found in Europe, southern, central and eastern Asia; race "infuscatus" resides in southern Africa and race "australis" populates parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", populate mostly two parts of the Australian continent: A narrow fringe around the West and the northern tropics, from the south-western tip of the continent to the South end of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the eastern third of the continent, up to a line including Innamincka and the Flinders Ranges. They can also be found in the eastern half of Tasmania. They will only appear, especially far inland, if there is reliable water. They are mainly sedentary.

During the breeding season Great Crested Grebes are found mostly around freshwater lakes, especially with newly grown vegetation. At other times of the year they can also be found in saline waters, including open waters.

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Race "cristatus"

In the past we used to see Great Crested Grebes, nominate race "cristatus", infrequently in Germany, e.g. near Mölln, Schleswig-Holstein, in July 1991.

Race "australis"

Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", can be found on water surfaces in large parts of NSW, where we have seen them occasionally.

A solitary bird was spotted by us at Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW, during the 2010/11 breeding season. A single juvenile Great Crested Grebe, race "australis", was observed there in April 2011.

Juvenile birds were also seen at Macquarie Marshes NR in April 2011. In both cases when juveniles were observed there were no adult birds to be found in the area.

C. Hayne reports occasionally spotting significant numbers of Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", on irrigation farm dams 10-20 km North-West of Moree, NSW. In May 2013, e.g., six birds were seen there.

A single Great Crested Grebe, race "australis", in breeding plumage was spotted at Split Rock Dam, a storage dam near Manilla, NSW, in May 2013.

Three Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", were spotted by us at New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, in December 2013. In October 2014 more than 100 Crested Grebes were found by us on the same water storage dam. At both the old (when not dry) and New Quipolly dams they have been found by us reliably since.

M. Mearns reports spotting Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", at Kingaroy, QLD, in October to December 2015.

B. Hensen reports spotting Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", at Bushell's Lagoon, Wilberforce, near Sydney, NSW, in May 2016.

M. Eaton found Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", at Lake Samsonvale, QLD, in January 2018, and at Gatton, QLD, in July 2018.

J. Greaves reports spotting Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, in December 2014. In January 2015 a pair was found nesting there.

In March 2022, C. Pears found up to 7 Great Crested Grebes, race "australis", some of which juveniles, at Lake Monger, Perth, WA. The spcies was also found at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, in August/September 2022.

Photos

Race "australis"

ADULT

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

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 (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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Food, Diet

Great Crested Grebe bringing its catch, which looks like a bug, to its chick
[New Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, January 2022]

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 .

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