Clark's Grebe

Clark's Grebe, breeding plumage, Santa Barbara, CA, November

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Clark's Grebe, nonbreeding plumage

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1. Description
2. Similar Species
3. Sound
4. Range
5. Other Names

A white-faced version of the Western Grebe, the Clark's Grebe formerly was thought to be the same species. Differences in face and bill color keep the two grebes from interbreeding.

Description

• Size: 55-75 cm (22-30 in)
• Wingspan: 81-82 cm (32-32 in)
• Weight: 718-1685 g (25.35-59.48 ounces)

• Medium-sized waterbird.
• Black back and cap.
• White face.
• White neck and underside.
• Long neck.
• Long, thin bill.

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Immature

Similar to adult.

Similar Species

• Western Grebe is extremely similar, but has black surrounding the eyes and a duller yellow or greenish bill.
• Winter Red-necked Grebe is gray and dingy, not bright white.
• Loons are shorter necked and have solidly dark wings.

Sound

Shrill whistle and rolling croak.

Range

Range Map

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

About the map

Summer Range

Breeds in western United States. Also in Mexico.

Winter Range

Winters along the Pacific Coast and on large bodies of water in the Southwest. Also in Mexico.

Other Names

Le Grèbe de Clark, Grèbe élégant, Grèbe à face blanche (French)
Achichilique, Acitli (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Storer, R. W. and G. L. Nuechterlein. 1992. Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii). In The Birds of North America, No. 26 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.