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TranslateBlack-necked Grebe ( Podiceps nigricollis)
Black-necked Grebe, (Podiceps nigricollis, Brehm, 1831)
Family: Podicipedidae – Grebe Family.
Length: 28 to 34cm Wingspan: 56 to 60cm Weight: 250 to 350g
Lifespan: Up to 10 years.
The Black-necked Grebe, although widespread throughout Eurasia and Africa, it mainly occurs just locally. Will tend to breed on fresh water lakes, that are abundant with reeds and other water growing plants, providing nesting material as well as shelter.
Feeds on various insects caught on the surface of the water, will also do extensive timely dives under water, for small fish, tadpoles, frogs, crustaceans and molluscs (shell fish). Will tend to spend all its time on water. The only time not on water, is when it is nesting. This grebe is gregarious, (highly sociable with other grebes and various water birds) although nesting mainly takes place within a colony (or mixed colonies with various ducks and other water birds, including Black-headed gulls) but sometimes will nest isolated from a colony . The floating nest is anchored by plants growing close by and is built by both adults. The female will usually lay, 3 to 4 eggs; incubation takes around a 21-day period. As soon as all the chicks hatch, the nest is abandoned, then the parents will both continue to care for the young for around another 10 days. Then soon after, the parents tend to separate and split the chicks on a 50/50 basis between themselves. The chicks soon become independent and fledge, within three to four weeks.
Just one brood a year, March to early August.
Like most Grebes it is sometimes reluctant to fly, although during migration it can cover distances up to 3 to 4 thousand miles. Unfortunately to reach its migration locations, many Black-necked grebes die, sometimes in their thousands; although it is classified as a bird species, of least concern, as from 2016.
In Europe many Black-necked Grebes tend to migrate for the winter months around the coastline of countries, that border onto the Mediterranean and southern coast lines of the Black Sea. But some black-necked Grebes will spend the winter months as far north in sheltered parts of southern England.
Read MoreFamily: Podicipedidae – Grebe Family.
Length: 28 to 34cm Wingspan: 56 to 60cm Weight: 250 to 350g
Lifespan: Up to 10 years.
The Black-necked Grebe, although widespread throughout Eurasia and Africa, it mainly occurs just locally. Will tend to breed on fresh water lakes, that are abundant with reeds and other water growing plants, providing nesting material as well as shelter.
Feeds on various insects caught on the surface of the water, will also do extensive timely dives under water, for small fish, tadpoles, frogs, crustaceans and molluscs (shell fish). Will tend to spend all its time on water. The only time not on water, is when it is nesting. This grebe is gregarious, (highly sociable with other grebes and various water birds) although nesting mainly takes place within a colony (or mixed colonies with various ducks and other water birds, including Black-headed gulls) but sometimes will nest isolated from a colony . The floating nest is anchored by plants growing close by and is built by both adults. The female will usually lay, 3 to 4 eggs; incubation takes around a 21-day period. As soon as all the chicks hatch, the nest is abandoned, then the parents will both continue to care for the young for around another 10 days. Then soon after, the parents tend to separate and split the chicks on a 50/50 basis between themselves. The chicks soon become independent and fledge, within three to four weeks.
Just one brood a year, March to early August.
Like most Grebes it is sometimes reluctant to fly, although during migration it can cover distances up to 3 to 4 thousand miles. Unfortunately to reach its migration locations, many Black-necked grebes die, sometimes in their thousands; although it is classified as a bird species, of least concern, as from 2016.
In Europe many Black-necked Grebes tend to migrate for the winter months around the coastline of countries, that border onto the Mediterranean and southern coast lines of the Black Sea. But some black-necked Grebes will spend the winter months as far north in sheltered parts of southern England.
