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Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus) Alternate name(s): "Tom Pudding", "Dabchick*" Aboriginal name(s): "kumkurnmitj" [tjapwurrung], "kuRanuRa" [eastern djadjawurrung]; "wyooda", "booradjin" (WA) Size: 29-30 cm Body mass: 175-305 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Hoary-headed Grebes are one of two small species of grebes in Australia. Their non-breeding plumage is dark brown-grey on the back nape of the neck and cap, near-white on the front of the neck, with a creamy-buff breast and near-white underparts. During the breeding season they grow black and white plumes covering most of the head, except a black stripe covering the length of the cap and the nape of the neck. Most of the bill, which in the non-breeding season is greyish, turns black in the breeding season, except for a cream-coloured tip. The irises are pale, the legs and feet dark-grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Hoary-headed 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 Hoary-headed Grebe is available HERE . Hoary-headed Grebes are endemic to Australia. They can be found basically anywhere on the Australian continent, including Tasmania, wherever there is surface water. They are only rarely found in the far tropical north of the continent and in the major deserts of western WA and the eastern parts of the NT and SA. Hoary-headed Grebes mostly live in swamps and marshes around freshwater lakes and ponds, but also in estuaries. Although in principle also present in the arid centre, they will stay there only if/when there is reliable surface water, e.g. in permanent waterholes in rivers, creeks or on farm dams.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Although, according to field guides, at least as common as Australasian Grebes, we do not see Hoary-headed Grebes regularly in inland NSW. A Hoary-headed Grebe was first seen by us on a farm dam near Watson's Creek, NSW, North of Tamworth, in July 2009. A single bird was found by us at Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW, in July 2010. Since then they are found semi-regularly at this location. In December 2014 we spotted about 20 Hoary-headed Grebes on a small dam at the Burren Junction Bore Bath. In July 2016 a small number of Hoary-headed Grebes was spotted by us at Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW. In January 2020 we found the species at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW. A much larger number of Hoary-headed Grebes was found by us at Dangar's Lagoon, Uralla, NSW, in March 2012, together with a large number of Australasian Grebes. C. Hayne reports that Hoary-headed Grebes are regularly seen in various types of wetlands around Moree, NSW. Various contributors report occasionally finding Hoary-headed Grebes in wetlands in Melbourne, VIC. B. Hensen reports spotting Hoary-headed Grebes at Dangar's Lagoon near Uralla, NSW, in February 2013 and at Centennary Park, Sydney, NSW, in May 2013. Large numbers of both Hoary-headed Grebes and Australasian Grebes were also spotted by us in ephemeral wetlands 20 km South of Walgett, NSW, in June 2012. Some of those were in breeding plumage, in the middle of winter. Similarly, M. Eaton found Hoary-headed Grebes in breeding plumage at Kilcowera Station, between Thargomindah and Hungerford, QLD, in June 2020. R. Plumtree reports spotting Hoary-headed Grebes at Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, in April 2014 and again in May 2016. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Hoary-headed Grebes at Yellow Waters billabong, Kakadu NP, NT, in October 2015. C. Pears reports finding Hoary-headed Grebes occasionally in and around Perth, WA, e.g. at Lake Monger in May 2021 and at Lake Herdsman in November 2022 and again in March 2025. M. Eaton reports finding Hoary-headed Grebes at Port Fairy, VIC, in April 2022.

Photos

ADULT

BREEDING

PAIR

Lateral view of a pair of Hoary-headed Grebes in breeding plumage; on the bird to the right one can see very clearly the diagnostic dark nape streak, which distinguishes this species, especially when seen while in non-breeding plumage, from Australasian Grebes in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Dangar's Lagoon, Uralla, NSW, February 2013]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2021]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Fairy, VIC, April 2022]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2021]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2021]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage, right, with another moulting into eclipse plumage
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, March 2023]

Dorsal view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2020]

Dorsal view of Hoary-headed Grebes in breeding plumage
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, July 2016]

Frontal comparison of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage, right, with a first-year Great Crested Grebe
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, March 2023]

Lateral comparison of Hoary-headed Grebes in (near-)breeding plumage with an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, March 2023]

Dorsal view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in breeding plumage, right, and an Australasian Grebe on the left
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, May 2021]

NON-BREEDING

Close-up frontal view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, May 2013]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in non-breeding plumage, with its crown puffed up (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, May 2013]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in non-breeding plumage, with a slick crown; the bird's large bill may indicate that it is a male (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, May 2013]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in non-breeding plumage
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, March 2023]

Dorsal view of a Hoary-headed Grebe in non-breeding plumage, with a clear view onto the characteristic dark nape streak (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, May 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe; without any grey feathers visible around the eye, this may still be a juvenile
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, January 2016]

Lateral view of a young Hoary-headed Grebe chick
[Goran Lake, NSW, January 2022]

Lateral view of a Hoary-headed Grebe with a young chick
[Goran Lake, NSW, February 2022]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair/mob

Like other species of grebes, Hoary-headed Grebes perform elaborate courtship/bonding rituals.

Pair of Hoary-headed Grebes approaching each other; from here on in it's all about a song and dance...
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Parallel alignment... (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

... followed by anti-parallel ... (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Hoary-headed Grebes facing each other (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Hoary-headed Grebe flapping its wings, possibly in a display meant to impress (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Food, Diet

Hoary-headed Grebes usually dive to catch their prey, such as small aquatic creatures, including crustaceans but also insects.

Hoary-headed Grebes possibly trapping prey in an eddy they are creating by moving in a circle (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, April 2025]

Hoary-headed Grebe chasing Gerridae water bugs; it was observed not skimming the water surface, but snapping at individual insects at speed
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2015]

Hoary-headed Grebes in breeding, non-breeding and sub-adult plumages waiting for that human to leave the lake shore to get to their prey that is hiding among reeds
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, March 2023]

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.

hhgrebe_20200813_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact call?	© MD
hhgrebe_vc_20220130.m4a	(NW NSW)	Warning calls & contact call? (+ Australian Magpie)	© VC
hhgrebe_20200813.m4a	(NW NSW)	?	© MD

More Hoary-headed Grebe sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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