English: Great Crested Grebe
Russian: Большая поганка
German: Haubentaucher
French: Grebe huppe
Mongolian: Отгот шунгуур
Japanese: カンムリカイツブリ(Kanmuri-kaitsuburi)

Body length: 46-51 cm
Wing span: 59-73 cm

Passage migrant
Breeding season: May-August

Egg number: 4 (occasionally 3-6)
Egg color: Non-glossy white

Global Status: Least Concern
Regional Status: Least Concern

Food: Aquatic invertebrates, small fishes, rarely frogs and plant matter.

Habitat: Breeds commonly on reeded larger waters. In winter, offshore or on lakes, reservoirs, mostly in W Europe. Not shy, spends much time openly on unvegetated waters. Nest a large mound or reed stems.

Identification: Largest and most familiar grebe in most of Europe. Shape distinctive: long low body and long slender neck either held erect or (when inactive) lowered with head resting in mid-back; bill long, slim and more extensively pale than other grebes. In flight, exceptionally long skinny outline with flickering wing beats, slightly stern-heavy, and blackish upcurled feet projecting; white secondaries and shoulder patch prominent.

Adult summer: Unmistakable; head plumes held compressed when alert, or raised, fanned and vigorously shaken in head-to-head courtship displays which climax in ‘penguin dance’ in which pair-members raise whole body upright, breast to breast Bill reddish-pink.   

Adult winter: Head, foreneck and flanks more extensively white than on other grebes, with white above eye and black oral line from eye to bill.   

Juvenile: Striped cheeks; bill pale pink.

1st summer: Head plumes are incomplete or lacking.