# Pied-billed Grebe (*Podilymbus podiceps*) The Pied-billed Grebe is a small, diving bird that loves to swim in lakes and ponds. With its cute, chunky body and short bill, it can be hard to spot, but it’s always having fun underwater! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 25 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Pied-billed Grebe](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pied-billed_Grebe_%2853638106406%29_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Channel City Camera Club from Santa Barbara, US, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pied-billed_Grebe_%2853638106406%29_%28cropped%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Pied-billed Grebe is a small, chunky brown waterbird with a large head and a distinctive pale bill marked by a black band during breeding season. It has a short neck, a fluffy white undertail, and no visible tail, setting it apart from ducks. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Podicipediformes - **Family:** Podicipedidae - **Genus:** Podilymbus ## Interesting facts - Baby grebes often ride on their parents' backs, even when swimming or diving! - Their unique bill is strong enough to crush the hard shells of crayfish! - They build a nest that floats on water, anchored to underwater plants. - When threatened, they can vanish by silently sinking straight down like a ghost! ## Special abilities - **Underwater Hunter:** Pied-billed Grebe has lobed feet that propel it powerfully underwater, helping it chase and catch slippery prey. - **Feather Shield:** Pied-billed Grebe can swallow its own feathers to protect its stomach lining from sharp fish bones and exoskeletons. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-38 cm - **Wingspan:** 45-62 cm - **Weight:** 0.25-0.57 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-10 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-10 - **Incubation:** 23-27 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding They dive to catch a tasty meal of aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small fish. - **Age differences:** Younger birds eat more insects, while adults shift towards fish and crustaceans. - **Primary Foods:** fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, tadpoles - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Pike are predators of grebe eggs, chicks, and sometimes adults. - **Eats:** Red Swamp Crayfish (*Procambarus clarkii*) — A significant food source, especially for adult grebes. - **Eaten by:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Large bass may prey on grebe chicks and eggs. - **Depends on:** Broadleaf Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — Provides crucial cover and nesting material in marsh habitats. ## 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. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pied-billed 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 Pied-billed Grebe? 30-38 cm ### What is Pied-billed Grebe's wingspan? 45-62 cm ### How much does Pied-billed Grebe weigh? 0.25-0.57 kg ### How long does Pied-billed Grebe live? 2-10 years ### How fast can Pied-billed Grebe move? 35 km/h ### What does Pied-billed Grebe eat? They dive to catch a tasty meal of aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small fish. ### Where is Pied-billed Grebe usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Arastradero Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arastradero-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bolsa-chica-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Hollywood Forever Cemetery](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hollywood-forever-cemetery) — California, US · Historic Site - [Morrill County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/morrill-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Pointe Mouillee State Game Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pointe-mouillee-state-game-area) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Pied-billed Grebe](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pied-billed-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: [Pied-billed Grebe: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pied-billed-grebe)