San Francisco Bay Area Bird Watching
SeaBirds of Marin, SF Bay and Gulf of the Farallones
SeaBirds of Marin, SF Bay and Gulf of the Farallones
Western Grebe
Photographed from a small Zodiac, off Yellow Bluffs, Sausalito shorline. San Francisco Bay
Western Grebe Scientific classification
- Western Grebe Kingdom: Animalia
- Western Grebe Phylum: Chordata
- Western Grebe Class: Aves
- Western Grebe Podicipediformes
- Western Grebe Family: Podicipedidae
- Western Grebe Genus: Aechmophorus
- Western Grebe Species: A. occidentalis
- Aechmophorus occidentalis
Description:
This is the largest North American grebe 56-74 cm (22"-29") long. It is black-and-white, with a long, slender, swan-like neck and red eyes.
Western Grebes nest in colonies of hundreds on large inland lakes, sometimes using coastal marshes, in western North America. It has a spectacular courtship display; two birds will rear up and patter across the water's surface. Northern birds migrate west to coastal ocean in winter; birds in the southwest and Mexico may be permanent residents.
This is the largest North American grebe 56-74 cm (22"-29") long. It is black-and-white, with a long, slender, swan-like neck and red eyes.
Western Grebes nest in colonies of hundreds on large inland lakes, sometimes using coastal marshes, in western North America. It has a spectacular courtship display; two birds will rear up and patter across the water's surface. Northern birds migrate west to coastal ocean in winter; birds in the southwest and Mexico may be permanent residents.
Western Grebes were profoundly affected by the Nov. 7, 2008 oil spill and the following sewage spills in Marin County. Many of the oiled birds died. The oiled birds died from toxicity, starvation and hypothermia. Many helpers worked to save as many birds as possible. The oil was toxic to humans too. It was an interesting time of a cross between the animal and human cohabitation because the birds really needed human intervention.
REFERENCES:
- * Bird Scientific Facts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,
- The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, ISBN 0-394-41410-1
- National Geographic, Field Guide to the Birds of North America ISBN 0-7922-6877-6
- San Francisco Bay Area Naturalists and Bird Watching Guides; Carol Kieper, Melinda Nakagawa, Doreen Moser, David Wimpfhiemer.
- Extensive Realtime Observation.
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