Great Grebe (Podiceps major)

Order: Podicipediformes | Family: Podicipedidae  | IUCN Status: Least Concern

Great-Grebe
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Villa Marshes, Lima

Great-Grebe
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Villa Marshes, Lima

Great-Grebe
Age: Adult and Chicks | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Villa Marshes, Lima

Great-Grebe
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Villa Marshes, Lima

Identification & Behavior: ~74 cm (29 in). The Great Grebe is mostly gray with rufous throat, neck, and breast, and whitish underparts. The non-breeding or basic plumage is the same, but colors are dull or have a whitish cast to them. It resembles a Neotropic Cormorant in size and general shape but has a thin pointy bill. Sexes are alike. Chicks have distinctive black and white neck and head markings.

Status: The Great Grebe is restricted to coastal lagoons and estuaries. It also forages in salt water. Not known to occur in Andean Lakes. It also occurs in Br and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Zambullidor Grande

Sub-species: Great Grebe (Podiceps major) (Boddaert, 1783).

Meaning of Name:  Podiceps: L. podex, podicis= anus; and pes = foot. major: L. large, bigger. A large bird with it feet set far towards the tail.

See more of the Family Podicipedidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
Great GrebeVoice

References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum. http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 10/18/2014.