Key information
Like all grebes it is an expert swimmer and diver. In winter plumage it is similar to a great crested grebe but has a thicker neck and a stout dark bill with a yellow base. It has a brown body, a black crown with whitish cheeks and, in summer, a red neck and breast.
Breeding has been suspected in the UK but the potential sites are kept secret and birds given special protection to protect them. Fewer than 20 individuals spend the summer in the UK each year, with numbers increasing slightly in the winter when birds move here from colder Europe.
What they eat:
Fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects.
Measurements:
- Length:
- 40-46 cm
- Wingspan:
- 77-85 cm
- Weight:
- 700-900 g
Population:
- UK breeding:
- 1 pair
- UK wintering:
- 50 individuals
Identifying features:
This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.
Red-necked grebe (summer plumage)
Red-necked grebe (winter plumage)
