Horned grebes are found in the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. They breed from Alaska and northern Canada south through the Canadian prairie provinces to Washington, Montana, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Populations winter along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico, along the Altantic coast from Nova Scotia to the gulf coast, and on large inland lakes such as the great lakes. They also breed and winter in Eurasia.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); palearctic (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: BREEDS: central and southern Alaska and Canada south to Idaho, northern South Dakota, northern Iowa, and central Wisconsin, with the highest breeding densities in southwestern Manitoba; Iceland, Faroes, Eurasia. WINTERS: in North America, mainly along the coast south to California, Texas, Florida (less commonly interiorly, from the Great Lakes south); in Old World south to Mediterranean Sea, Iran, and Japan. Areas of highest winter density include northwestern Washington and the Gulf Coast near Pensacola (Florida); to a lesser degree, various national wildlife refuges along the Atlantic coast from South Carolina to southeastern Canada (Root 1988).

Horned grebes resemble small, compact ducks with short, pointed bills. They are 31 to 38 cm long and weigh 300 to 570 g. Breeding adults have a reddish neck, breast, and flanks. The back and throat are dark, and the head is nearly black. Conspicuous orange-buff to golden ear plumes distinguish the species from other grebes and give it its name. The bills of horned grebes are dark and the breast is white. The winter plumage of horned grebes is rather drab. The cheeks, throat, and breast are white, with a dark crown, nape, and back. The bill is duller than in the breeding plumage.

Male and female horned grebes are similar in appearance, but males are slightly larger, heavier and more brightly colored. Juveniles look similar to adults.

Horned grebes look like small ducks with short, pointed bills. They are 31 to 38 cm long and weigh 300 to 570 g. Breeding adults have a reddish neck, breast, and flanks. They have black heads, and dark throats and backs. They also have orange or golden plumes of feathers on the sides of their heads that look a little like horns. In winter, horned grebes are much duller. They have white cheeks, throat and breast, and a dark crown, nape and back.

Male and female horned grebes look alike, but males are slightly larger and more brightly colored. Juveniles look similar to adults.

Range mass: 300 to 570 g.

Range length: 31 to 39 cm.

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike; male larger; female more colorful; ornamentation

Length: 34 cm

Weight: 453 grams

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater
• Marine

During the breeding season, horned grebes are found predominantly on prairie and boreal freshwater lakes with both open waters and marsh vegetation. They may also nest in marshes, small sloughs with weedy margins, ponds, and occasionally on rivers. Horned grebes overwinter in coastal saltwater habitats such as protected bays and exposed shores, and occasionally on large freshwater lakes.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; saltwater or marine ; freshwater

Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds; rivers and streams; coastal

Wetlands: marsh

Comments: Marshes, ponds and lakes, occasionally along sluggish streams (breeding); bays, estuaries and seacoasts, and in migration commonly in inland freshwater habitats, especially lakes and rivers (nonbreeding) (AOU 1983). Nest on small and large lakes and ponds (about 0.1 ha or larger), in calm waters of marshes, along rivers and streams. Favors areas with much open water. Usually nests among tall vegetation in shallow water. Highest breeding densities occur in pothole marshes of aspen woodland.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Arrives in winter habitat in West mainly in October, departs for northern breeding areas mostly by April, peak influx in south-central Canada breeding areas early May. May aggregate at staging areas and resting areas during migration. Migrates day/night.

The diet of horned grebes consists mainly of aquatic arthropods in the summer and fish and crustaceans in the winter. Leeches, tadpoles, salamanders, and some plant material may also be consumed on occasion. On the wintering grounds, mollusks may also be consumed. Horned grebes capture their prey by diving underwater. They swallow small items while underwater, but bring large items to the surface to manipulate before swallowing.

Like most other grebes, horned grebes swallow many feathers. These feathers presumably aid in digestions of sharp objects such as fish bones.

Animal Foods: amphibians; fish; insects; mollusks; terrestrial worms; aquatic crustaceans

Primary Diet: carnivore (Piscivore , Insectivore , Eats non-insect arthropods, Molluscivore )

Comments: Diet mainly small fishes, crustaceans and aquatic insects; also amphibians and leeches; aquatic insects predominate in summer, crustaceans and fishes in winter. Forages by diving in shallow water, often near emergent vegetation; also picks food from surface or from vegetation (Terres 1980, Johnsgard 1987).

Horned grebes affect the populations of the animals that they eat. They also compete with some fish species for aquatic invertebrate prey.

Adult horned grebes do not have many predators. Incubating adults are vulnerable while on the nest, and may fall prey to mink or other predators.

Horned grebe eggs are taken by raccoons, crows, black-billed magpies, American coots and various gull species.

Adult horned grebes do not have many predators. Incubating adults are vulnerable while on the nest, and may be killed by mink or other predators.

Horned grebe eggs are eaten by raccoons, crows, black-billed magpies, American coots and gulls.

Known Predators:

• American minks (Neovison vison)
• crows (Corvus)
• black-billed magpies (Pica pica)
• American coots (Fulica americana)
• gulls (Larus)
• raccoons (Procyon lotor)

Primarily nongregarious, except at staging and resting areas prior to and during migration. Predation may result in high nest losses. Size of breeding territory reflects location and abundance of food supply.

Horned grebes exhibit very complex and varied physical displays that they use to communicate with one another. They also use vocalizations to communicate, particularly during the breeding season. Most of the vocalizations relate to the establishment and maintenance of the pair bond, and to territory and brood defense. Members of a breeding pair sometimes trill in duet.

Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic

Other Communication Modes: duets

The oldest known wild horned grebes lived at least five years and two months.

Range lifespan

Status: wild: 5.2 (high) years.

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 62 months.

Horned grebes begin breeding when they are 1 year old, and usually raise one brood per year. Pairs form in the winter or spring, and may breed together for more than one season. Like other grebes, horned grebes display complex courtship rituals that involve many different ceremonies and displays. Courtship displays involve posturing by both the male and the female. They rise up on the water to a vertical position, head feathers raised fully. They then dive together, and both come up with bits of weeds carried in the bill. They rush along the water, side by side, carrying the weeds (Kaufman 1996).

Mating System: monogamous

Horned grebes begin breeding when they are 1 year old, and usually raise one brood per year. They breed between mid-May and early October, with peak activity occurring June through August. The nest site is located in shallow water among marsh growth. It is built by both sexes and consists of a floating mass of wet plant material with an indentation in the center for the eggs. The nest is anchored by standing vegetation (Kaufman 1996; Ransom 1981).

The female lays 3 to 8 (usually 5 to 7) eggs at a rate of approximately one every other day. The initially whitish to buff eggs quickly become stained red and brown from the nest material. Both parents incubate the eggs for 23 to 24 days. The precocial chicks are able to swim and dive immediately after hatching, but are commonly seen riding on their parent's back for the first week after hatching. The parents brood the young for approximately 9 days after hatching, and feed them for up to 14 days. Chicks become essentially independent at 20 to 25 days old, but cannot fly until they are 41 to 50 days old.

Breeding interval: Horned grebes breed once yearly.

Breeding season: Horned grebes breed between mid-May and early October, with peak activity occurring June through August.

Range eggs per season: 3 to 8.

Average eggs per season: 6.

Range time to hatching: 23 to 24 days.

Average fledging age: 0 days.

Range time to independence: 20 to 25 days.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 (low) years.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 years.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 (low) years.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 years.

Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)

Average eggs per season: 4.

Both adults build the nest and incubate the eggs. After the chicks have hatched, horned grebe parents carry them on their backs often for the first 10 days. They also feed the chicks for 10 to 14 days after hatching.

Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female)

Eggs are laid mid-May to mid-July in southern Canada. Average clutch size is 4-6. Incubation lasts usually 22-25 days, by both sexes. Young are tended by one or both parents, most fledge by 6-7 weeks. Renests if nest destroyed. Usually one pair (sometimes several) per pothole.

Populations of horned grebes appear to have declined in recent decades, but solid data is lacking (Kaufman 1996). Habitat loss and degradation are major threats to horned grebe populations. Drought-related loss of wetlands greatly affects horned grebes. Oil spills and pesticide accumulation in their aquatic habitats also negatively affect horned grebe populations. Other threats to horned grebes include ingestion of plastics and lead and entanglement in fishing nets.

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Horned grebes feed on small fish, some of which may be economically important species.

Horned grebes have no known affect on humans.