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gemfyreOne evening I got a call from my mum asking me to ID "A little duck on the lake". She described it to me and I came to the conclusion that they were seeing not a duck, but an Australsian Grebe. Grebes are pretty common on Perth wetlands (especially the Australiasian), but to most people they're unfortunately regarded as just another duck.
Australasian Grebe - Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Photo by Greg McKay of Birdforum
There seems to be at least one Australasian Grebe on any lake in the metro area, no matter how small. Keep an eye out for them. Here's what you're looking for:
- Small size.
- White, fluffy butt feathers. I often refer to grebes as "fluffybutts".
- Chestnut stripe down the neck.
- Yellow eye.
- Yellow spot beneath the eye.
Grebes are cumbersome on land, having their legs far back on their bodies like an outboard motor. But they are excellent swimmers both above and below the water, and will inevitably dive as soon as you spot them and pop up miles away. You'll get used to it, it's one way you can tell it's a grebe.
Hoary-headed Grebe - Poliocephalus poliocephalus
Photo by Julien of Birdforum
The Hoary isn't as common as the Aussie Grebe, but when you do see them you'll probably see them in a great floatilla of at least 20 grebes in deeper water. This is a good way to tell them apart from Aussie Grebes. But be careful, just because a grebe is on it's own doesn't mean it's NOT a Hoary-headed Grebe. The big difference is the head. Hoary-headed Grebes have greyish heads with white streaking. So, to give the obligatory list:
- Grey head with white streaking.
- Slightly larger than Australasian Grebe.
- Tends to stay in deeper water.
- Tends to hang around in large groups.
Now, the last Perth grebe is tough to mistake for anything else.
Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus
Photo by NIGHTJAR1 of Birdforum
The Great Crested Grebe is found over most of the world and is famous for it's courtship ritual. Which involves dancing, mirroring each others movements (like in the photo), presenting weed to each other, dashing across the water side by side and floating side by side with their chests puffed out (the only part of the courtship I have managed to witness so far). They also have very cute zebra-striped chicks that ride on their backs. What else sets them apart?
- Much larger than the other two grebes. The Great Crested is about the size of a duck.
- Bright white chest - this is a diagnostic feature even if they're not in breeding plumage.
- Chestnut and black head feathers in breeding plumage, creating the crest that is their namesake.
So there you go, now you can go out and tell people, "See that? It's not a duck, it's a grebe!"
Australasian Grebe - Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Photo by Greg McKay of Birdforum
There seems to be at least one Australasian Grebe on any lake in the metro area, no matter how small. Keep an eye out for them. Here's what you're looking for:
- Small size.
- White, fluffy butt feathers. I often refer to grebes as "fluffybutts".
- Chestnut stripe down the neck.
- Yellow eye.
- Yellow spot beneath the eye.
Grebes are cumbersome on land, having their legs far back on their bodies like an outboard motor. But they are excellent swimmers both above and below the water, and will inevitably dive as soon as you spot them and pop up miles away. You'll get used to it, it's one way you can tell it's a grebe.
Hoary-headed Grebe - Poliocephalus poliocephalus
Photo by Julien of Birdforum
The Hoary isn't as common as the Aussie Grebe, but when you do see them you'll probably see them in a great floatilla of at least 20 grebes in deeper water. This is a good way to tell them apart from Aussie Grebes. But be careful, just because a grebe is on it's own doesn't mean it's NOT a Hoary-headed Grebe. The big difference is the head. Hoary-headed Grebes have greyish heads with white streaking. So, to give the obligatory list:
- Grey head with white streaking.
- Slightly larger than Australasian Grebe.
- Tends to stay in deeper water.
- Tends to hang around in large groups.
Now, the last Perth grebe is tough to mistake for anything else.
Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus
Photo by NIGHTJAR1 of Birdforum
The Great Crested Grebe is found over most of the world and is famous for it's courtship ritual. Which involves dancing, mirroring each others movements (like in the photo), presenting weed to each other, dashing across the water side by side and floating side by side with their chests puffed out (the only part of the courtship I have managed to witness so far). They also have very cute zebra-striped chicks that ride on their backs. What else sets them apart?
- Much larger than the other two grebes. The Great Crested is about the size of a duck.
- Bright white chest - this is a diagnostic feature even if they're not in breeding plumage.
- Chestnut and black head feathers in breeding plumage, creating the crest that is their namesake.
So there you go, now you can go out and tell people, "See that? It's not a duck, it's a grebe!"
