Eared Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis
Sometimes called “Black-Necked Grebe”, the Eared Grebe breeds in vegetated areas of freshwater lakes across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the southwestern region of the western United States. Science recognises three forms of this species. P. n. nigricollis is found in Europe and Asia, P. n. gurneyi lives in southern Africa, and P. n. californicus is found in North America. There are small pockets of habitat in Colorado, California, and southern Mexico where these birds remain year-round.
Our North American birds winter in the American Southwest and south deep into Mexico. Summers find these birds as far north as the prairie provinces of Canada, and south into the Great Basin, the Rocky Mountains and the western prairies of the Dakotas and Nebraska.
Even in their winter garb, the ruby-red eyes of Eared Grebes are captivating to observe. But when summer comes, and they don their breeding finery, they are a sight to behold. Most of my meetings have been in California, but I’ve also found them in Nevada, southern Oregon and even as far north as Grand Prairie in Alberta Canada.

Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Watching Peregrine overhead. San Digito River Mouth. Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2006:02:02 11:40 |
Location:
San Digito River |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD1441EaredGrebe |
© 2006 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Whelan Lake. Near Oceanside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2009:02:20 22:56 |
Location:
Whelan Lake |
Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3E01d36-EaredGrebe |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Western, Clarks, Pied-Billed and Eared Grebes can be found near the beach at Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:12:10 9:03 |
Location:
Poe Road |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 |
File Name: JCD5868_EaredGrebe |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Crystal Lake near Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:04 18:32 |
Location:
Crystal Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 460 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 |
File Name: JCD3603EaredGrebe |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Crystal Lake near Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:04 18:26 |
Location:
Crystal Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD3575EaredGrebe |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: South San Diego Bay, California. |
Date Taken: 2006:03:04 11:40 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/9.5, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD2122EaredGrebe |
© 2006 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Near the Alamo River mouth at the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:23 10:55 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: jcd1772EaredGrebe |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:07 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X1172-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:45 |
Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X9019-EaredGrebe |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:45 |
Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X9011-EaredGrebe |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:40 |
Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X8962-EaredGrebe |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:38 |
Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X8919-EaredGrebe |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: At the Tijuana River Estuary. Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2015:02:01 13:51 |
Location:
Tijuana River Estuary |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X6321-EaredGrebe |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:21 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X1265-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:10:13 8:14 |
Location:
Ramer Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X3582-EaredGrebe |
© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: These grebes seemed to prefer the waters far from the shoreline. This image was captured during a 4 hour vigil at the Mono Lake shore north of Lee Vining California. Summers at Mono Lake, when the algae blooms occur in this super-salty water, Brine-flies (or Alkali Flies) feed on the algae. Millions of birds, as many as 80 species feed on the fat and protein rich flies. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:20 16:09 |
Location:
Mono Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/14.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X5628-MonoLake |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: South Auto Tour Loop Road at Tule Lake. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:06 14:27 |
Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D721304-EaredGrebe |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: South Auto Tour Loop Road at Tule Lake. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:06 14:26 |
Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D721286-EaredGrebe |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Location is the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, south of Klamath Falls Oregon in California. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:05 14:16 |
Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D721048-EaredGrebe |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:19 17:57 |
Location:
Fondo |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: EaredGrebe-_D5X5193 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:19 17:54 |
Location:
Fondo |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: EaredGrebe-_D5X5140 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:19 17:50 |
Location:
Fondo |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: EaredGrebe-_D5X5105 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:19 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X1258-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: The mouth of the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:23 11:38 |
Location:
San Luis Rey Rivermouth |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0300-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Community of North Shore at the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:25 16:55 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X6317-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Community of North Shore at the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:25 16:57 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X6322-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Community of North Shore at the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:25 17:02 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X6340-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: This grebe was foraging on the side of the dock floats. Catfish Paradise is part of Lake Havasu National Wildlife Reserve. Near Topock Arizona in Mojave County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:12 14:08 |
Location:
Catfish Paradise |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X2047-CatfishParadise |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: A good place to meet grebes is Catfish Paradise, part of Lake Havasu National Wildlife Reserve. Near Topock Arizona in Mojave County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:12 14:37 |
Location:
Topock Marsh |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X2222-CatfishParadise |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:15 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X1233-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:11 |
Location:
Salton Sea |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X1213-EaredGrebe |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Horned Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:39 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0392-EaredGrebe |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:36 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X0375-EaredGrebe |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Pair sharing space with a Red-Breasted Merganser at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2012:04:24 8:34 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X0886-EaredGrebe |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:42 |
Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X8981-EaredGrebe |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:09 |
Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6863-DirtySocksSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:09 |
Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6860-DirtySocksSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:09 |
Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6858-DirtySocksSprings |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

Click map markers to reveal further information