# Clark's Grebe (*Aechmophorus clarkii*) Clark's Grebe is a beautiful bird that loves to swim and dive in the water. It has a long neck and can be seen gliding gracefully across lakes and ponds. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Clark's Grebe](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Clark's_grebe2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Calibas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clark's_grebe2.jpg) ## Appearance The Clark's Grebe has a sleek, long neck and a striking black and white body. Its white plumage extends above the eye, distinguishing it from similar grebes. It also boasts vibrant red eyes and a bright yellow-orange bill. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Podicipediformes - **Family:** Podicipedidae - **Genus:** Aechmophorus ## Interesting facts - Baby grebes ride parents' backs for weeks, even underwater! - Their floating nests are anchored to submerged plants, keeping them from drifting away. - These birds often nest in huge groups, sometimes with hundreds of other grebes! - They perform an amazing "rushing" dance, running on water with a partner! ## Special abilities - **Underwater Hunter:** Clark's Grebe can dive quickly to catch slippery fish because of its streamlined body and powerful feet. - **Chicks on Board:** Clark's Grebe has strong back feathers that help them carry their babies safely across the water. - **Stealth Submergence:** Clark's Grebe can slowly sink into the water, hiding from danger, because it can control its buoyancy. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 51-74 cm - **Wingspan:** 70-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 7-12 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 21-27 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding Clark's Grebes are skilled divers that mostly eat small fish and aquatic insects. - **Primary Foods:** small fish, minnows, perch, aquatic insects, crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Common small fish they actively pursue. - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Large raptors can prey on grebe chicks and adults. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Large predatory fish may ambush chicks or adults. - **Symbiotic with:** [Western Grebe](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-grebe) (*Aechmophorus occidentalis*) — Often nests in mixed colonies and sometimes interbreeds. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Clark's Grebe? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Clark's Grebe? 51-74 cm ### What is Clark's Grebe's wingspan? 70-80 cm ### How much does Clark's Grebe weigh? 0.9-1.5 kg ### How long does Clark's Grebe live? 7-12 years ### How fast can Clark's Grebe move? 50 km/h ### What does Clark's Grebe eat? Clark's Grebes are skilled divers that mostly eat small fish and aquatic insects. ### Where is Clark's Grebe usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Cheyenne Botanic Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cheyenne-botanic-gardens) — Wyoming, US · Botanical Garden - [Geraldine Lucas Homestead-Fabian Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/geraldine-lucas-homestead-fabian-place-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Kern River Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kern-river-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Sumpter Valley Railway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sumpter-valley-railway) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [The Marine Mammal Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-marine-mammal-center) — California, US · Zoo [View all places to see Clark's Grebe](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/clarks-grebe) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Clark's Grebe: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/clarks-grebe)