Fauna
Bird · GBIF taxon 2482077

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Also known as Hell-diver, Water Witch, Dabchick, Carolina Grebe

Pied-billed Grebes are compact, solitary waterbirds renowned for their uncanny buoyancy control, able to trap or expel air from their feathers to sink silently below the surface like a submarine. They dive frequently to stalk prey underwater, propelled by lobed toes rather than webbed feet. During the breeding season, males produce a loud, resonant series of whooping and cuckoo-like calls across marshy shallows to establish territory.

AquaticDiving BirdSolitary
Pied-billed Grebe reference1 / 7
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Crayfish
  • Minnow
  • Dragonfly Nymph
Predators
  • Bald Eagle
  • Northern Snapping Turtle
  • Great Horned Owl
ThreatsWetland draining, habitat fragmentation, pollution, pesticides, and entanglement in fishing gear.
HabitatsFreshwater wetlands, sluggish rivers, marshes, lakes, ponds, and brackish bays.
Life span10–12 years in the wild
Classification
  1. FamilyPodicipedidae
  2. SpeciesPodilymbus podiceps
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Scanning edges: Look along dense reed lines and cattails where individuals forage unobtrusively.
  • Watching dives: Keep eyes on the water surface after a dive, as they often resurface far from where they submerged.
  • Binocular observation: Maintain quiet distance from floating nest mounds to avoid causing parental abandonment.
Related species
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