Black-necked Grebe

Habitat: Overgrown ponds, pools and marshes. Winters on inland waters and in sheltered spots along the coast.

Appearance: In summer, western, central and eastern Europe. In winter, western and southern Europe. In Belgium and the Netherlands, a rare breeding bird, annual visitor, migrant, passage migrant and winter visitor in small numbers.

Breeding season: April–August. Nest on the bank, usually 4 eggs, with the female counting the eggs by the ‘belly’ sensation. As soon as she feels 4 eggs whilst sitting on the nest, egg production stops.

Characteristics: Length 28–34 cm, wingspan 56–60 cm, weight 215–450 g, lifespan 12 years. Black-necked Grebe are migratory birds that migrate mainly at night. They can only take off from the water. In flight, they display a white patch on their wings. In autumn, the Black-necked Grebe from a particular area gather on certain lakes to moult together.

Food: They gather their food by swimming and diving in open water. They mainly catch aquatic insects, snails and small fish, and also eat plant matter.