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Wildlife
- Birds - |
Pied-billed Grebe
(Podilymbus podiceps) Y |
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RANGE: Breeds in southeastern Alaska and from central Canada
south locally through temperate North America. Winters through
most of breeding range from southern British Columbia and the
central United States southward, casually farther north. Also
winters throughout West Indies, Central and South America.
STATUS: Common; most widespread grebe in North America.
HABITAT: Inhabits ponds with much shoreline and emergent
vegetation, marshes with areas of open water 15 to 25 inches
deep, and marshy inlets and bays. Found on ponds, sloughs,
flooded areas, marshy parts of lakes and rivers, and
occasionally estuarine waters with weak tidal influence.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Marshes, sluggish streams, ponds
18 acres or less, and some emergent vegetation. Strongest
nesting habitat association along lake and pond shorelines and
islands.
NEST: A solitary nester, with generally only one pair nesting
per pothole. Constructs a floating nest usually in shallow
water, but sometimes on water several feet deep and well
concealed in emergent vegetation. Builds nest around or anchored
to reeds, rushes, or bushes and usually within 50 feet of open
water.
FOOD: Captures food while swimming and during dives. Primarily
eats fishes, but also insects and some crayfish.
REFERENCES: Adamus et al. 2001, Faaborg 1976, Glover 1953,
Miller 1999, Palmer 1962, Sealy 1978, Shunk 2004, Terres 1980,
Wetmore 1924 |
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