Photo: Mykola Swarnyk / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegena
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) — Grebes, Loons & Flamingos of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) is a member of the Podicipedidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Podicipediformes
- Family Podicipedidae Grebes
- Genus Podiceps
- Species grisegena
Where it lives
Central, eastern Europe and Turkey to temperate west-central Russia and Kazakhstan; subarctic central, eastern Siberia to Kamchatka, Alaska and Canada to southwestern Quebec
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Podicipedidae
- Order
- Podicipediformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-necked Grebe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Red-necked Grebe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) belongs to the Podicipedidae family of the order Podicipediformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL c, e Europe and Turkey to temperate wc Russia and Kazakhstan; subarctic c, e Siberia to Kamchatka, Alaska and Canada to sw Quebec.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1 kg, with a wing length of about 16.7 cm and a tail of around 3.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 17.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-necked Grebe?
The Red-necked Grebe is a very large bird that weighs around 1 kg.
Where does the Red-necked Grebe live?
The Red-necked Grebe is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL c, e Europe and Turkey to temperate wc Russia and Kazakhstan; subarctic c, e Siberia to Kamchatka, Alaska and Canada to sw Quebec, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Red-necked Grebe belong to?
The Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) belongs to the Podicipedidae family, in the order Podicipediformes.
What does the Red-necked Grebe eat?
The Red-necked Grebe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Red-necked Grebe migrate?
The Red-necked Grebe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Red-necked Grebe endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-necked Grebe make?
1 real field recording of the Red-necked Grebe — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-necked Grebe's range?
The Red-necked Grebe has a mapped global range of about 17.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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