Species Guide: Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Family: Podicipedidae
The Great Crested Grebe is a graceful aquatic bird in the grebe family, known for its elegant form, striking plumage during the breeding season, skillful diving, and impressive breeding displays. It is widespread across much of the Old World, with populations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. These birds are often associated with lakes, reservoirs, and slow-flowing watercourses where there is abundant vegetation. They are one of the most recognizable waterbirds in their range due to their size and ornate head plumes during pairing season.
Appearance
Male
Adult males resemble females in size and overall coloration. During the breeding season, the head displays distinctive black crests and chestnut ruffs around the sides of the face and neck, contrasting with white cheeks and neck. The back and wings are darker, and the body underside is lighter.
Female
Females are similar in appearance to males and are not strongly dimorphic from them. Both sexes share the striking breeding plumage and overall structure, which makes distinguishing males from females by appearance alone difficult in many field observations.
Juvenile
Juvenile Great Crested Grebes differ markedly from adults. They lack the ornate head crests and chestnut ruffs. Instead, young birds have distinctive dark stripes on a paler head and neck that help camouflage them among reeds and aquatic vegetation. As they mature, juveniles molt and eventually acquire adult plumage.
Diet
Great Crested Grebes are primarily carnivorous. Their diet consists mainly of fish, which they catch by diving and pursuing underwater. They also consume aquatic invertebrates, such as crustaceans and insects, and may take small amphibians, mollusks, and larvae when available. These birds are visual foragers, locating prey with their keen eyesight before diving to capture it.
Habitat
These grebes are strongly associated with freshwater environments. They breed in shallow, vegetated lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and slow rivers where aquatic plants provide nesting material and cover. Some populations inhabit estuaries and coastal waters during the non-breeding season, especially in milder climates. Vegetation along banks and in the water is important both for building floating nests and for sheltering young birds.
Summer
Resident
Winter
Behavior
Great Crested Grebes are primarily aquatic, spending most of their lives on or under the surface of the water. Their legs are positioned far back on the body, making them excellent swimmers and divers but awkward on land.
Calls
These birds are generally quiet outside the breeding season. During pairing and territory defense, they produce a range of calls, including loud barking or guttural sounds often transcribed as “rah-rah.” Duets between paired birds are common during courtship displays and nesting.
Great Crested Grebe Calls:
Mating Rituals
Courtship in Great Crested Grebes is elaborate and involves synchronized behaviors between the male and female. Typical elements include facing each other, stretching necks upright, head-shaking, and presenting aquatic vegetation to one another. The pair may rise chest to chest out of the water in a coordinated display often referred to as the “penguin dance” or “weed dance.” These rituals serve to strengthen pair bonds and establish nesting coordination.
Life Cycle
Pairs build floating nests from aquatic vegetation, usually anchored to submerged plants or reeds. Clutches typically contain three to four pale eggs, which both parents incubate for nearly four weeks. Chicks are precocial and can swim soon after hatching. Adults may carry young on their backs while foraging and teaching them how to dive and swim. Young birds fledge several weeks after hatching as they develop flight feathers and foraging skills.
Biometrics
| Length | 46-61 cm |
| Wing Span | 59-73 cm |
| Body Weight | 900-1500 grams |
| Longevity | 10-15 Years |
Natural Predators
Eggs and young grebes are vulnerable to predation by other waterbirds, such as Eurasian coots, which may raid nests. Adults have fewer documented specific predators, but potential threats could include larger birds of prey and large aquatic predators in some regions. Parents show protective behaviors, including covering eggs with nest material when disturbed. Chicks are often carried on their parents’ backs to reduce exposure to aquatic predators.
Relationship to Humans
Great Crested Grebes have a long cultural connection with humans, particularly because of their striking appearance and courtship behavior. In the past, their ornate breeding feathers were highly prized for the millinery trade. This hunting pressure severely reduced populations in parts of Europe, especially the United Kingdom, in the 19th century. Conservation actions and changes in fashion helped populations recover, and they are now a common sight on many waters.
In folklore and cultural references, grebes are often admired for their dances and aquatic grace. In New Zealand, local names such as Pūteketeke and Tippet Grebe reflect traditional recognition of the species. Cultural interest in their spectacular displays has made them subjects of artistic and literary mention in some regions.
Conservation Status
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Great Crested Grebe is classified as Least Concern, indicating that it is not currently at risk of extinction across its global range. This reflects relatively stable or increasing populations in many areas, especially where suitable habitat remains intact.
Populations experienced significant declines historically due to hunting for feathers, but legal protections and conservation efforts have allowed many populations to rebound. In some localized regions, however, habitat degradation, recreational disturbance, introduced predators, and other human impacts may pose challenges. Some management plans monitor populations to ensure wetlands remain viable for breeding and foraging.
U.K.
Conservation Status
Global
Conservation Status
Ad Space
References
- Lovette, I. et al. (2016) The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, handbook of bird biology. Third edition. Chichester: Wiley. [Accessed 11/01/2026]
CITATIONS
- By IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, species assessors and the authors of the spatial data., CC BY-SA 3.0. [Accessed 11/01/2026] ↩︎
