Pied-billed grebe

Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba

The pied-billed grebe is a small, brown, stocky diving bird, and the best time to find one is in a quiet marsh in spring, when its loud, cuckoo-like call echoes across the water. In summer, the thick pale bill is crossed by a black band, which gives the bird its name.

Grebes can adjust their buoyancy, slowly sinking out of sight without a ripple, and they come up again somewhere else. The nest is a floating mound of plants anchored among the cattails, and the striped chicks often ride on a parent’s back. Grebes have lobed toes instead of webbed feet, which makes them excellent swimmers. They leave Manitoba as the marshes freeze in fall.

Want to learn more about the pied-billed grebe and where it lives? Visit its page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 1
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 2
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 3
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 4
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 5
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 6
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 7
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 10
  • Pied-billed grebe photographed in Manitoba, 11
  • Adult pied-billed grebe with a striped chick nibbling at its back on calm water, Manitoba

Pied-billed grebe Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the pied-billed grebe in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the pied-billed grebe nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the pied-billed grebe in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Plains and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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