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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Slavonian Grebe

 

Awaiting image for this species

 

Slavonian Grebe

(Devil-Diver, Dipper, Hell-Diver, Horned Grebe, Pink-Eyed Diver, Water Witch)

Podiceps auritus

 

• Slavonian Grebe (Devil-Diver, Dipper, Hell-Diver, Horned Grebe, Pink-Eyed Diver, Water Witch)
• Podiceps auritus
• UK: AMBER LIST (breeding) 70 - 80 pairs, (winter) 400 birds RSPB
• WI: Uncommon in winter (recorded in low numbers each year) Occurs in nationally important numbers
• Breeds: Vegetated areas of freshwater lakes (nests water's edge). Europe - (inc Scotland), Asia, Canada (Striped young sometimes carried on adult's back).
• Winters: Europe (inc WI), South China, USA
• Habitat: Marshes, lochs, streams (also coast in winter)
• Diet: Insects, fish (Dives & chases fish underwater)
• Small grebe 12 - 15in long. Summer male: Face has golden puffy ear-like tufts along sides & black cheeks. Reddish neck & flanks. Scarlet eyes. Small & stubby straight white-tipped black bill. Winter bird: white cheeks, throat & breast with a sharply defined black cap. Dark nape & back. Rides high in water. Legs set far back - not good at walking. Nests at water's edge.

 

 

Photographs of slavonian grebes in winter and summer plumage on Steven Round's web site

Eats it's own feathers (& feeds them to chicks) the feathers form a mass in the stomach that has a sieve-like effect, and holds fish-bones until the bird has digested them.

 

 

Slavonian Grebe records in the Western Isles

Uncommon in winter (recorded in low numbers each year)
Occurs in nationally important numbers
Source: Outer Hebrides Bird Report (2001)

On the chart below the darker the shade of blue the more abundant the Slavonian Grebe is during a month or the more likely you are to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

 

A flock of 40 birds in Luskentyre Bay in 2007 repesented a tenth of the UK wintering population.

 

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

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