Grebes

Habitat, distribution and migration

Grebes are a nearly cosmopolitan clade of waterbirds, found on every continent except Antarctica. They are absent from the Arctic Circle and arid environments. They have successfully colonized islands such as Madagascar and New Zealand. Some species, such as the eared grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) and great crested grebe (P. cristatus), are found on multiple continents with regional subspecies or populations. A few species like the Junin grebe (P. taczanowskii) and the recently extinct Atitlán grebe (Podilymbus gigas) are lake endemics. During the warmer or breeding seasons, many species of grebes in the northern hemisphere reside in a variety of freshwater habitats like lakes and marshes. Once winter arrives, many will migrate to marine environments along the coastlines. During migration, grebes migrate either by flying overland at night or swimming along the coast during the day. Grebes are most prevalent in the New World, with almost half of the world's species native there.