Great Crested Grebe

1. Black double crest and chestnut ruff during breeding season

2. Long neck and slim, low-slung profile on water

3. Juveniles have distinctive black-and-white striped heads

Great Crested Grebes are expert divers, feeding mainly on fish but also taking aquatic insects, crustaceans, and occasional amphibians. They dive underwater to catch prey, sometimes staying submerged for up to half a minute. Both parents build the floating nest and share incubation duties. Chicks can swim and dive soon after hatching and are often carried on their parents’ backs for safety. The species is well known for its courtship display, where pairs perform synchronized head-shaking, weed presentations, and “dances” on the water.

Look for Great Crested Grebes on large freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and slow-flowing rivers, especially those with plenty of aquatic vegetation for nesting. In Australia, they are found across the mainland and Tasmania, preferring open water with reed beds or other vegetation along the edges. During winter, some may move to sheltered coastal waters. Their floating nests are usually anchored among reeds, and they are often seen alone, in pairs, or in small groups.