Great Crested Grebe ( Podiceps cristatus )
Great Crested Grebe - Great Crested Grebe information - Great Crested Grebe facts
The Great crested grebe can be found all over Europe except for northern parts of Scandinavia, then in Asia and in northern, eastern and southern parts of Africa. They generally spend winter time in southern parts of their distribution. They usually inhabit stretches of water.
Podiceps cristatus is 51 cm, which is 20 inches, in size. Its body is quite slim. The plumage is multicolored. The crest, back of the head and the back are black, whereas the sides of the body are brownish. Frontal head area, the throat and the chest are grayish-white. The eyes are tiny and the bill is reddish.
These grebes live in a nest, which is basically a mound of reeds. Their diet consists of fish, invertebrates and seeds. They are very good divers and most of the time they spend in water. They can swim rather fast considering, that their toes are not fully webbed. When in danger they also dive in order to escape predators. On the ground they move quite clumsy as their stability is very low, when standing on legs. The males and the females are alike. The females have from 3 to 6 white eggs.
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