General

Pied-billed Grebe: Medium-sized, stocky grebe with brown upperparts, paler brown underparts with barred sides and flanks, and distinct white undertail coverts. Chin is black and bill is white with central black ring. Eyes are dark. Sexes are similar. Winter adult has white chin and lacks ring on bill. Juvenile resembles winter adult but has brown streaks on face and upper neck.

Range and Habitat

Pie-billed Grebe: Breeds from British Columbia, southern Mackenzie, and Nova Scotia southward. Spends winters in the southern states or wherever water remains open. Preferred habitats include marshes and ponds.

Breeding and Nesting

Pied-billed Grebe: Two to ten light blue eggs are laid in a well-hidden floating nest made of dead marsh vegetation anchored to emergent plants. Incubation ranges from 23 to 27 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Pied-billed Grebe: Eats aquatic vegetation, insects, fish, and crustaceans; forages by diving from the surface and swimming underwater.

Vocalization

Pied-billed Grebe: Emits a series of hollow cuckoo-like notes "cow-cow-cow-cow, cow, cow, cowp, cowp, cowp", that slows down at the end.

Similar Species

Pied-billed Grebe: Least Grebe is smaller and has yellow eyes and slender, dark bill.