Scientific name: Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Grebes
Field characters. 48 cm. Largest Grebe. Easy to distinguish by black-brown ear-tufts and in breeding plumage by chestnut-brown and black expandable frill. Seemingly without tail, with slender neck, grey-brown upperparts and shiny satin-white underparts. In winter no frill; head then looks white with dark crown and white line above eye. Juvenile with striped black-and-white neck and head, without ear-tufts and frill; bill pink. Flies low over water; in flight wings show large amount of white. Has an elaborate display ritual. Floating nest is anchored to reeds, twigs, etc.
Voice. A loud, barking "gorrr", and a shrill "er-wik", and various trumpet-like, groaning and whirring sounds.
Distribution. Locally fairly common breeding bird.
Habitat. In breeding season on lakes, reservoirs, ponds, quiet reaches of rivers with backwaters; also in town parks, and canals. Outside breeding season on deltas, brackish estuaries, lagoons, sheltered marine inshore waters; also on large lakes and reservoirs.
Food. Obtains fish by diving (usually up to 4 m depth); larger prey items are brought to the surface and then swallowed whole, head first. Aquatic invertebrates form less important part of its diet.
Eggs. Initially unmarked, becoming stained light umber/very dark brown/red-brown/orange-red during incubation. Ground colour white/cream. Texture dull and irregularly covered with chalk deposits. Shape long subelliptical/long oval. Size 54 x 37 mm (47-64 x 32-40), weight 42 g. In appearance very much like other species in this family.