View source for Grebe

{{short description|Order of birds}}
{{About|the order of birds}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Grebes
| fossil_range = [[Early Miocene]] – [[Holocene]], {{fossilrange|23.03|0}}
| image = Flickr - Rainbirder - Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus).jpg
| image_caption = [[Great crested grebe]] (''Podiceps cristatus'') 
| display_parents = 3
| taxon = Podicipedidae
| parent_authority = [[Max Fürbringer|Fürbringer]], 1888
| authority = [[Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte|Bonaparte]], 1831
| type_genus = ''[[Podiceps]]''
| subdivision_ranks = Subclades
| subdivision = 
* †''[[Hunucornis]]''
* †''[[Miobaptus]]''
* †''[[Miodytes]]''
* †''[[Pliolymbus]]''
* †''[[Thiornis]]''
* [[Podilymbini]]
* [[Podicipedini]]
}}

'''Grebes''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|r|iː|b|z}}) are aquatic diving birds in the [[order (biology)|order]] '''Podicipediformes''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ|d|ᵻ|s|ᵻ|ˈ|p|ɛ|d|ᵻ|f|ɔr|m|iː|z}}).<ref name="The Birds Around Us">{{cite book|author1=Mace, Alice E.|title=The Birds Around Us|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/birdsaroundu00mace|chapter-url-access=registration|date=1986|publisher=Ortho Books|isbn=978-0-89721-068-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/birdsaroundu00mace/page/30 30]|edition=Hardcover|chapter=Changes Through Time}}</ref> Grebes are widely distributed [[freshwater]] birds, with some species also found in [[sea|marine]] habitats during [[Bird migration|migration]] and winter. Most grebes fly, although some flightless species exist, most notably in stable lakes. The order contains a single [[family (biology)|family]], the '''Podicipedidae''', which includes 22 [[species]] in six extant [[genus|genera]]. 

Although, superficially, they resemble other diving birds such as [[loon]]s and [[coot]]s, they are most closely related to [[flamingo]]s, as supported by [[morphology (biology)|morphological]], molecular and [[paleontology|paleontological]] data. Many species are [[monogamy in animals|monogamous]] and are known for their courtship displays, with the pair performing synchronized dances across the water's surface. The birds build floating vegetative nests where they lay several eggs. About a third of the world's grebes are listed at various levels of conservation concerns—the biggest threats including habitat loss, the introduction of invasive predatory fish and human [[poaching]]. As such, three species have gone extinct.

==Etymology==
The word "grebe" comes from the French {{Lang|fr|grèbe}}, which is of unknown origin and dates to 1766. It is possibly from the Breton {{Lang|br|krib}} meaning 'comb', this referring to the crests of many of the European species.<ref name="HBW1992Grebes">{{cite book | last1 = Llimona | first1 = F. | last2 = del Hoya | first2 = J. | year = 1992 | chapter = Family Podicipedidae (Grebes) | editor1-last = Elliott | editor1-first = A.| editor2-last = del Hoya | editor2-first = J. | editor3-last = Sargatal | editor3-first = J. | title = Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks | publisher = Lynx Nature Books | location=Barcelona | pages =174–196 | isbn = 8487334105}}</ref>{{Rp|184}} However, {{Lang|fr|grèbe}} was used to refer to gulls. The appearance of "grebe" in the English language was introduced in 1768 by the Welsh naturalist [[Thomas Pennant]] when he adopted the word for the family.<ref name="Ogilvie2002"/> Some of the smaller species are often referred to as "dabchick", which originated in the mid-16th century in English, as they were said to be chick-like birds that dive.<ref name="Ogilvie2002"/> The clade names "Podicipediformes" and "Podicipedidae" are based on the genus ''[[Podiceps]]'' which is a combination of Latin of {{Lang|la|podex}}, [[Genitive case#Latin|gen.]] {{Lang|la|podicis}} ("rear-end" or "anus") and {{Lang|la|pes}} ("foot"), a reference to the placement of a grebe's legs towards the rear of its body.<ref name="Ogilvie2002"/>

==Field characteristics==
Grebes are small to medium-large in size ranging from the [[least grebe]] (''Tachybaptus dominicus''), at {{convert|120|g|oz|abbr=on}} and {{convert|23.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}, to the [[great grebe]] (''Podiceps major''), at {{convert|1.7|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and {{convert|71|cm|in|abbr=on}}. Despite these size differences, grebes are a homogeneous family of waterbirds with very few or slight differences among the genera.<ref name="Winkleretal2020"/>

{{multiple image
| align             = center
| total_width       = 515
| image1            = Diving grebe.jpg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = A diving grebe showing how the hindlimbs are propelling the bird underwater
| image2            = Zampullín a la carrera - Cabusset a la carrera - Little grebe running on water - Tachybaptus ruficollis.jpg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = A [[little grebe]] (''Tachybaptus ruficollis'') running along the surface of the water as it flaps its wings to get the lift it needs to fly
| footer            = 
| direction         = 
}}

===Anatomy and physiology===
[[File:Podiceps griseigena 238.jpg|A skeleton of a [[red-necked grebe]] (''Podiceps grisegena''). Note that the pelvic girdle is bigger than the sternum.|right|thumb]]

On the surface of the water, they swim low with just the head and neck exposed. All species have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. The feet are always large, with broad lobes on the toes and small webs connecting the front three toes. The hind toe also has a small lobe. The claws are similar to nails and are flat. These lobate feet act as an oar, as when moving forward, they provide minimum resistance, and moving backwards, they provide maximum coverage. 

{{Multiple image
| align             = right
| image1            = Grebe foot 1 (cropped).jpg
| image2            = Grebe foot 2 (cropped).jpg
| total_width       = 220
| footer            = Grebe foot, showing the lobed toes and strongly keeled tarsometatarsus
}}

The leg bones ([[femur]] and [[tarsometatarsus]]) are equal in length, with the femur having a large head and the presence of long cnemial crests in the tarsometatarsus. The patella is separate and supports the tarsometatarsus posteriorly, which greatly helps with the contraction of the muscles. They swim by simultaneously spreading out the feet and bringing them inward, with the webbing expanded to produce the forward thrust in much the same way as frogs. However, due to the anatomy of the legs, grebes are not as mobile on land as they are on the water. Although they can run for a short distance, they are prone to falling over, since they have their feet placed far back on the body.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Frank |first1=Harry R. |last2=Neu |first2=Wolfgang |title=Die Schwimmbewegungen der Tauchvögel (Podiceps) |trans-title=The swimming movements of diving birds (Podiceps) |language=de |journal=Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie |date=1 September 1929 |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=410–418 |doi=10.1007/BF00339264 |s2cid=31898176 }}</ref><ref name="Johnsgard1987" /><ref name="EoB">{{cite book |editor1-last=Forshaw |editor1-first=Joseph |last1=Fjeldså |first1=John|year=1991|title=Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds|publisher=Merehurst Press|location=London|pages=59–60|isbn=978-1-85391-186-6}}</ref><ref name="Ogilvie2002" /><ref name="Fjeldså2004" />

The wing shape varies depending on the species, ranging from moderately long to incredibly short and rounded in shape. The wing anatomy in grebes has a relatively short and thin [[carpometacarpus]]-[[phalanges]] component, which supports their primary feathers, while the [[ulna]] is long and fairly weak, supporting secondary feathers. There are 11 primaries and 17 to 22 secondaries, with the inner secondaries being longer than the primaries. As such, grebes are generally not strong or rapid fliers. Some species are reluctant to fly. Indeed, several have become flightless. In these flightless species, they tend to have a reduction in the length of their wings, tails, and primaries; reduced pectoral muscles, and a significant increase in body size.<ref name="HBW1992Grebes"/>{{Rp|177}} Since grebes generally dive more than fly, the sternum can be as small or even smaller than the pelvic girdle. When they do fly, they often launch themselves off from the water and must run along the surface as they flap their wings to provide a lift.<ref name="Johnsgard1987" />
 
Bills vary from short and thick to long and pointed, depending on the diet, and are slightly larger in males than in females (though the sizes can overlap between younger males and females).<ref name="Ogilvie2002"/>

===Feathers===
Grebes have unusual [[feather|plumage]]. On average, grebes have 20,000 feathers, the highest among birds.{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}} The feathers are very dense<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Freedman |first1=Bill |title=The Gale Encyclopedia of Science |last2=Frost |first2=Randall |publisher=Gale eBooks |year=2021 |edition=6th |volume=3 |pages=2067}}</ref> and strongly curved. In the larger species, feathers are denser but shorter, while the opposite is true in smaller species, where the feathers are longer but less dense. 

The density and length of feathers are correlated exponentially with heat loss in cold water. For this reason, grebes invest the most time and effort of all birds in plumage maintenance. The [[uropygial gland]]s secrete a high concentration of paraffin. The secretion provides a dual purpose of protecting the feathers from external parasites and fungi, as well as waterproofing them.<ref name="Fjeldså2004" />{{Rp|33–36}} When [[preening]], grebes eat their feathers and feed them to their young. The function of this behaviour is uncertain, but it is believed to assist with [[pellet (ornithology)|pellet]] formation, excreting out internal parasites and protecting their insides from sharp bone material during digestion.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Simmons|title=Feather-eating and Pellet-formation in the Great Crested Grebe|journal=Br. Birds|volume=49|pages=432–435|year=1956|url=http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/search?model=pdf&id=3147|access-date=2013-02-22|archive-date=2016-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415043309/https://britishbirds.co.uk/articles/search-articles/?id=3147&model=pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[ventral]] plumage is the most dense, described as very fur-like. By pressing their feathers against the body, grebes can adjust their [[buoyancy]]. In the non-breeding season, grebes are plain-coloured in dark browns and whites. However, most have ornate and distinctive breeding plumages, often developing chestnut markings on the head area, and perform elaborate display rituals.<ref name="EoB" /> The young, particularly those of the genus ''Podiceps'', are often striped and retain some of their juvenile plumage even after reaching full size.<ref name="Fjeldså2004" />{{Rp|36–39}}

{{multiple image
| align             = center
| total_width       = 630
| image1            = Great Crested Grebe chick, Earlswood Lakes, Surrey (3522706435).jpg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = A [[great crested grebe]] (''Podiceps cristatus'') chick with its downy feathers and striped head
| image2            = 2016.10.30.-02-Wagbachniederung Oberhausen-Rheinhausen--Haubentaucher.jpg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = A great crested grebe in non-breeding or winter plumage
| image3            = Пірникоза 6013.jpg
| caption3          = A pair of great crested grebe in breeding plumage as they perform a courtship ritual
| footer            = 
| direction         = 
}}

==Systematics==
[[File:Phoenicopterus ruber in São Paulo Zoo.jpg|thumb|Many molecular and morphological studies support a relationship between grebes and [[flamingo]]s.]]
The grebes are a radically distinct group of birds as regards their [[anatomy]]. Accordingly, they were at first believed to be related to the [[loon]]s, which are also foot-propelled diving birds, and both families were once classified together under the order [[Colymbiformes]]. However, as early as the 1930s, this was determined to be an example of [[convergent evolution]] caused by the strong [[Selection (biology)|selective]] forces encountered by unrelated birds sharing the same lifestyle at different times and in various habitats.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stolpe |first1=Max |title=''Colymbus'', ''Hesperornis'', ''Podiceps'': ein Vergleich ihrer hinteren Extremität |trans-title=''Colymbus'', ''Hesperornis'', ''Podiceps'': a comparison of their hind limbs |language=de |journal=Journal für Ornithologie |date=1 January 1935 |volume=83 |issue=1 |pages=115–128 |doi=10.1007/BF01908745 |bibcode=1935JOrn...83..115S |s2cid=11147804 }}</ref> Grebes and loons are now separately classified orders of Podicipediformes and Gaviiformes, respectively.

One of the first incidents of the molecular placement of grebes among birds comes from [[Charles Sibley]] and [[Jon E. Ahlquist]], who conducted [[DNA–DNA hybridization]] studies in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. They found the family to occupy a basal position in a clade that also includes the [[Pelecaniformes|totipalmates]] (eg., [[tropicbird]]s, [[Suliformes|suliform]]s, and [[pelicans]]), [[Wader (American)|wader]]s ([[ibises]], [[heron]]s, [[flamingo]]s, and [[stork]]s), [[New World vulture]]s, [[loon]]s, [[penguin]]s, and [[Procellariiformes|tubenosed seabird]]s.<ref>[[Charles Sibley|Sibley, Charles Gald]] & [[Jon Edward Ahlquist|Ahlquist, Jon Edward]] (1990): ''Phylogeny and classification of birds''. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.</ref> Subsequent molecular studies have not supported this arrangement, however. These subsequent molecular studies instead have suggested a relation with flamingos,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Chubb |first=A.L. |date=January 2004 |title=New nuclear evidence for the oldest divergence among neognath birds: the phylogenetic utility of ZENK (i) |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=140–151 |doi=10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00159-3 |pmid=15022765 |bibcode=2004MolPE..30..140C }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ericson |first1=Per<!--check--> G.P. |last2=Anderson |first2=Cajsa L |last3=Britton |first3=Tom |last4=Elzanowski |first4=Andrzej |last5=Johansson |first5=Ulf S |last6=Källersjö |first6=Mari |last7=Ohlson |first7=Jan I |last8=Parsons |first8=Thomas J |last9=Zuccon |first9=Dario |last10=Mayr |first10=Gerald |title=Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils |journal=Biology Letters |date=22 December 2006 |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=543–547 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2006.0523 |pmid=17148284 |pmc=1834003 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hackett |first1=Shannon J. |last2=Kimball |first2=Rebecca T. |last3=Reddy |first3=Sushma |last4=Bowie |first4=Rauri C. K. |last5=Braun |first5=Edward L. |last6=Braun |first6=Michael J. |last7=Chojnowski |first7=Jena L. |last8=Cox |first8=W. Andrew |last9=Han |first9=Kin-Lan |last10=Harshman |first10=John |last11=Huddleston |first11=Christopher J. |last12=Marks |first12=Ben D. |last13=Miglia |first13=Kathleen J. |last14=Moore |first14=William S. |last15=Sheldon |first15=Frederick H. |last16=Steadman |first16=David W. |last17=Witt |first17=Christopher C. |last18=Yuri |first18=Tamaki |title=A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History |journal=Science |date=27 June 2008 |volume=320 |issue=5884 |pages=1763–1768 |doi=10.1126/science.1157704 |pmid=18583609 |bibcode=2008Sci...320.1763H |s2cid=6472805 }}</ref> a finding that has been backed up by morphological evidence. They hold at least eleven morphological traits in common that are not found in other birds. For example, both flamingos and grebes lay eggs coated with chalky amorphous calcium phosphate. Many of these characteristics have been previously identified in flamingos, but not in grebes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mayr |first1=Gerald |title=Morphological evidence for sister group relationship between flamingos (Aves: Phoenicopteridae) and grebes (Podicipedidae) |journal=Zoological Journal of the <sup>Linnean</sup> Society |date=February 2004 |volume=140 |issue=2 |pages=157–169 |doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.2003.00094.x |doi-access=free }}</ref> For the grebe-flamingo [[clade]], the [[taxon]] [[Mirandornithes]] ("miraculous birds" due to their extreme divergence and [[Apomorphy and synapomorphy|apomorphies]]) has been proposed. Alternatively, they could be placed in one order, with Phoenocopteriformes taking priority.<ref name="Gottingen" />

===Fossil record===
[[File:Boletín de la Sociedad Ibérica de Ciencias Naturales (1921) (19765729204).jpg|thumb|Reconstructed skeleton of fossil slab of ''[[Thiornis]] sociata'', an early grebe]] 
The [[fossil record]] of grebes is incomplete, as there are no transitional forms between more conventional birds and grebes known from fossils. The enigmatic waterbird [[genus]] ''[[Juncitarsus]]'', however, may be close to a common ancestor of flamingos and grebes. The extinct stem-flamingo family [[Palaelodidae]] has been suggested to be the transitional linkage between the filter-feeding flamingos and the foot-propelled diving grebes. The evidence for this comes from the overall similarity between the foot and limb structure of grebes and palaeloids, suggesting the latter family of waterbirds was able to swim and dive better than flamingos. Some early grebes share similar characteristics to the coracoid and humerus seen in palaeloids.<ref name=Gottingen>{{cite journal |last=Mayr |first=Gerald |title=The contribution of fossils to the reconstruction of the higher-level phylogeny of birds |journal=Species, Phylogeny and Evolution |issn=1098-660X |volume=3 |pages=59–64 |year=2006 |url=http://www.senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/abteilung/terrzool/ornithologie/gottingen.pdf |access-date=10 January 2023 |archive-date=11 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411211540/http://www.senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/abteilung/terrzool/ornithologie/gottingen.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Mayr2009">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P_TB72RBLLMC&pg=PA110|title=Paleogene Fossil Birds|last=Mayr|first=Gerald|date=2009|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-540-89628-9|access-date=2022-12-21|archive-date=2023-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318224043/https://books.google.com/books?id=P_TB72RBLLMC&pg=PA110|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Rp|105–109}}<ref name="Zelenkov2015">{{cite journal |last1 = Zelenkov | first1= N. V. |year= 2015 |title= A Primitive Grebe (Aves, Podicipedidae) from the Miocene of Eastern Siberia (Lake Baikal, Olkhon Island). |journal=Paleontological Journal |volume=49 |issue=5 |pages=521–529| doi= 10.1134/S0031030115050159 | bibcode= 2015PalJ...49..521Z | s2cid= 130057204 }}</ref>

True grebes suddenly appear in the fossil record in the Late [[Oligocene]] or Early [[Miocene]], around 23–25&nbsp;[[mya (unit)|mya]]. There are a few prehistoric genera that are now completely extinct. ''[[Thiornis]]''<ref name=AnnPal86>{{cite journal |last1=Storer |first1=Robert W. |title=The systematic position of the Miocene grebe Thiornis sociata Navás |journal=Annales de Paléontologie |date=April 2000 |volume=86 |issue=2 |pages=129–139 |doi=10.1016/S0753-3969(00)80003-8 |bibcode=2000AnPal..86..129S }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cracraft |first1=Joel |title=Systematics and evolution of the Gruiformes (class Aves). 3, Phylogeny of the suborder Grues |journal=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |date=1973 |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=1–127 |hdl=2246/597 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> and ''[[Pliolymbus]]''<ref name=Murray67>{{cite journal |last1=Murray |first1=Bertram G. |title=Grebes from the Late Pliocene of North America |journal=The Condor |date=May 1967 |volume=69 |issue=3 |pages=277–288 |doi=10.2307/1366317 |jstor=1366317 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Alvarez |first1=R. |title=A Pleistocene Avifauna from Jalisco, Mexico |journal=Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology |publisher=University of Michigan |date=1977 |volume=24 |issue=19 |pages=205–220 |hdl=2027.42/48486 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> date from a time when most if not all extant genera were already present.<ref name=AnnPal86/> Because grebes are evolutionarily isolated and they only started to appear in the Northern Hemisphere fossil record in the Early Miocene, they are likely to have originated in the Southern Hemisphere.<ref name="Mlíkovský2010">{{cite book |last1=Mlíkovský |first1=Jiří |year=2010 |chapter=A preliminary review of the grebes, family Podicipedidae |pages=125–131 |chapter-url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59129969 |editor1-last=Wells |editor1-first=David |title=Systematic Notes on Asian Birds 2010 |publisher=British Ornithologists' Club |isbn=978-0-9522886-5-7 |oclc=1231997761 |access-date=2022-10-23 |archive-date=2022-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023014301/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59129969 |url-status=live }}</ref>

* Genus ''[[Aechmophorus]]'' <small>Coues, 1862</small>
** †''[[Aechmophorus elasson]]'' <small>Murray, 1967</small> ([[Piacenzian]] stage of western United States)
* Genus †''[[Hunucornis]]'' <small>Agnolín et al., 2025</small>
** †''[[Hunucornis|Hunucornis huayanen]]'' <small>Agnolín et al., 2025</small> ([[Messinian]] stage of central Argentina)<ref name=Hunucornis>{{Cite journal|last1=Agnolín |first1=F. L. |last2=Álvarez Herrera |first2=G. |last3=Rozadilla |first3=S. |last4=Contreras |first4=V. |year=2025 |title=First late Miocene bird assemblage from central Argentina, with the description of new taxa |journal=Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology |pages=1–17 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2025.2475538 }}</ref>
* Genus †''[[Miobaptus]]'' <small>Švec, 1982</small>
** †''[[Miobaptus|Miobaptus huzhiricus]]'' <small>Zelenkov, 2015</small> ([[Burdigalian]] to the [[Langhian]] ages of East Siberia)
** †''[[Miobaptus|Miobaptus walteri]]'' <small>Švec, 1982</small> [''Podiceps walteri'' <small>(Švec, 1984) Mlíkovský, 2000</small>] ([[Aquitanian (stage)|Aquitanian]] age of Europe)
* Genus †''[[Miodytes]]'' <small>Dimitreijevich, Gál & Kessler, 2002</small>
** †''[[Miodytes|Miodytes serbicus]]'' <small>Dimitreijevich, Gál & Kessler, 2002</small> (Langhian age of Serbia)
* Genus †''[[Pliolymbus]]'' <small>Murray, 1967</small> [''Piliolymbus'' (sic)]
** †''[[Pliolymbus|Pliolymbus baryosteus]]'' <small>Murray, 1967</small> (Piacenzian to the [[Gelasian]] stages of western United States and Mexico)
* Genus ''[[Podiceps]]'' <small>Latham 1787</small>
** †''[[Podiceps arndti]]'' <small>Chandler, 1990</small> (Piacenzian stage of North America)
** †''[[Podiceps csarnotanus]]'' <small>Kessler, 2009</small> (Piacenzian stage of Europe)
** †''[[Podiceps discors]]'' <small>Murray, 1967</small> (Piacenzian stage of North America)
** †''[[Podiceps dixi]]'' <small>Brodkorp, 1963</small> ([[Chibanian]] to the [[Late Pleistocene|Tarantian]] stages of Florida, United States)
** †''[[Podiceps howardae]]'' <small>Storer, 2001</small> ([[Zanclean]] age of North Carolina, United States)
** †''[[Podiceps miocenicus]]'' <small>Kessler, 1984</small> ([[Tortonian]] age of Moldova)
** †''[[Podiceps oligoceanus]]'' <small>(Shufeldt, 1915)</small> (Aquitanian age of North America)
** †''[[Podiceps parvus]]'' <small>(Shufeldt, 1913)</small> (Gelasian to the [[Calabrian (stage)|Calabrian]] stages of North America)
** †''[[Podiceps pisanus]]'' <small>(Portis, 1888)</small> (Piacenzian stage of Italy)
** †''[[Podiceps solidus]]'' <small>Kuročkin, 1985</small> (Zanclean age of Western Mongolia)
** †''[[Podiceps subparvus]]'' <small>(Miller & Bowman, 1958)</small> 
* Genus ''[[Podilymbus]]'' <small>Lesson 1831</small>
** †''[[Podilymbus majusculus]]'' <small>Murray 1967</small> (Piacenzian stage of Idaho, United States)
** †''[[Podilymbus wetmorei]]'' <small>Storer 1976</small> (Chibanian to the Tarantian stages of Florida, United States)
* Genus †''[[Thiornis]]'' <small>Navás, 1922</small>
** †''[[Thiornis|Thiornis sociata]]'' <small>Navás, 1922</small> [''Podiceps sociatus'' <small>(Navás, 1922) Olson, 1995</small>] (Tortonian age of Spain)

A few more recent grebe fossils could not be assigned to modern or prehistoric genera:
*Podicipedidae gen. et sp. indet. (San Diego Late Pliocene of California) – formerly included in ''Podiceps parvus''<ref name=Murray67/>
*Podicipedidae gen. et sp. indet. UMMP 49592, 52261, 51848, 52276, KUVP 4484 (Late Pliocene of WC USA)<ref name=Jehl67>{{cite journal |last1=Jehl |first1=Joseph R. |title=Pleistocene Birds from Fossil Lake, Oregon |journal=The Condor |date=January 1967 |volume=69 |issue=1 |pages=24–27 |doi=10.2307/1366369 |jstor=1366369 }}</ref>
*Podicipedidae gen. et sp. indet. (Glenns Ferry Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene of Idaho, US)<ref name=Jehl67/><ref>{{cite journal|last=Wetmore|first=Alexander |year=1933|title=Pliocene bird remains from Idaho|journal=Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections|volume=87|pages=1–12|url=https://archive.org/details/cbarchive_36794_pliocenebirdremainsfromidaho1862}}</ref>
*Podicipedidae gen. et sp. indet. UMMP 74784 (Middle Miocene of Nevada)<ref name="Ksepkaetal2013"/>

===Phylogeny===
To date, there is no complete phylogeny of grebes based on molecular work. However, there are comprehensive morphological works from Bochenski (1994),<ref name="Bochenski1994">{{Cite journal |last1=Bochenski |first1=Z. |year=1994 |title=The comparative osteology of grebes (Aves: Podicipediformes) and its systematic implications. |journal=Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia  |volume = 37 |issue = 1 |pages = 191–346| url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285839426}}</ref> Fjeldså (2004)<ref name="Fjeldså2004"/> and Ksepka ''et al.'' (2013)<ref name="Ksepkaetal2013">{{Cite journal |last1=Ksepka |first1=D. T. |last2=Balanoff |first2=A. M. |last3=Bell |first3=M. A. |last4=Houseman |first4=M. D. |year=2013 |title=Fossil grebes from the Truckee Formation (Miocene) of Nevada and a new phylogenetic analysis of Podicipediformes (Aves). |journal=Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology |volume=56 |issue=5 |pages=1149–1169 |doi=10.1111/pala.12040 |bibcode=2013Palgy..56.1149K |s2cid=83938510 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pala.12040 |access-date=2023-01-02 |archive-date=2023-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102165157/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pala.12040 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref> that have been done on the grebe genera.

{{Clear}}
{{col-begin|width=100%}}
{{col-break}}

'''Bochenski (1994)'''<ref name="Bochenski1994"/>
{{clade |style=font-size:100%;line-height:100%;
|label1='''Podicipedidae'''
|1={{Clade
   |1={{Clade
      |1=''[[Podilymbus]]''
      |2={{Clade
         |1=''[[Poliocephalus (bird)|Poliocephalus]]''
         |2={{Clade
            |1=''[[Least grebe|Tachybaptus dominicus]]''
            |2={{Clade
               |1=''[[Australasian grebe|Tachybaptus novaehollandiae]]''
               |2={{Clade
                  |1=''[[Little grebe|Tachybaptus ruficollis]]''
                  |2=''[[Rollandia (bird)|Rollandia]]''}} }} }} }} }}
   |2={{Clade
      |1=''[[Podiceps]]''
      |2={{Clade
         |1=''[[Great grebe|Podicephorus]]''
         |2=''[[Aechmophorus]]'' }} }} }} }}
{{col-break}}

'''Fjeldså (2004)'''<ref name="Fjeldså2004"/> 
{{clade |style=font-size:100%;line-height:100%;
|label1='''Podicipedidae'''
|1={{Clade
   |1=''[[Rollandia (bird)|Rollandia]]''
   |2={{Clade
      |1={{Clade
         |1=''[[Tachybaptus]]''
         |2=''[[Podilymbus]]''}}
      |2={{Clade
         |1=''[[Poliocephalus (bird)|Poliocephalus]]''
         |2={{Clade
            |1=''[[Great grebe|Podicephorus]]''
            |2=''[[Aechmophorus]]''
            |3=''[[Podiceps]]'' }} }} }} }} }}
{{col-break}}

'''Ksepka ''et al.'' (2013)'''<ref name="Ksepkaetal2013"/>
{{clade |style=font-size:100%;line-height:100%
|label1='''Podicipedidae'''
|1={{Clade
   |1={{Clade
      |1=''[[Least grebe|Dominicus]]''<ref name="Ksepka&Kammerer2013">{{Cite journal |last1=Ksepka |first1=D. T. |last2=Kammerer |first2= C. |year=2013 |title=Corrigendum: Taxonomic status of the Least Grebe. |journal=Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology |volume = 56 |issue = 5 |pages = 1171|doi=10.1111/pala.12068 |bibcode=2013Palgy..56.1171K }}</ref>
      |2={{Clade
         |1=''[[Tachybaptus]]''
         |2=''[[Poliocephalus (bird)|Poliocephalus]]'' }} }}
   |2={{Clade
      |1={{Clade
         |1=''[[Rollandia (bird)|Rollandia]]''
         |2=''[[Podilymbus]]'' }}
      |2={{Clade
         |label1=
         |1={{Clade
            |1={{Clade
               |1=''[[Black-necked grebe|Podiceps nigricollis]]''
               |2=''[[Silvery grebe|Podiceps occipitalis]]''}}
            |2={{Clade
               |1=''[[Horned grebe|Podiceps auritus]]''
               |2={{Clade
                  |1={{Clade
                     |1=''[[Great crested grebe|Podiceps cristatus]]''
                     |2=''[[Red-necked grebe|Podiceps grisegena]]''}}
                  |2={{Clade
                     |1=''[[Great grebe|Podiceps major]]''
                     |2=''[[Aechmophorus]]'' }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}
{{col-end}}

===Recent species listing===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image !! Genus  !! Living and recently extinct species
|-
|[[File:Podilymbus-podiceps-001.jpg|175px]] ||''[[Podilymbus]]'' {{small|Lesson 1831}} ||
* [[Pied-billed grebe]] ''Podilymbus podiceps'' <small>(Linnaeus 1758)</small>
**''P. p. podiceps'' <small>(Linnaeus 1758)</small> (northern pied-billed grebe)
**''P. p. antarcticus'' <small>(Lesson 1842)</small> (southern pied-billed grebe)
** ''P. p. antillarum'' <small>Bangs 1913</small> (Antillean pied-billed grebe)
*†[[Atitlán grebe]] ''Podilymbus gigas'' <small>Griscom 1929</small> ([[extinct]] 1989)
|-
|[[File:Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)- Breeding plumage W2 IMG 8770.jpg|175px]] ||''[[Tachybaptus]]'' {{small|Reichenbach 1853}}  
||
* [[Least grebe]] ''Tachybaptus dominicus'' <small>(Linnaeus 1766)</small>
** ''T. d. dominicus'' <small>(Linnaeus 1766)</small> (West Indian grebe)
** ''T. d. bangsi'' <small>(van Rossem & Hachisuka 1937)</small> (Bangs's grebe)
** ''T. d. brachypterus'' <small>(Chapman 1899)</small> (Mexican least grebe)
** ''T. d. brachyrhynchus'' <small>(Chapman 1899)</small> (short-billed grebe)
** ''T. d. eisenmanni'' <small>Storer & Getty 1985</small>
* [[Little grebe]] ''Tachybaptus ruficollis'' <small>(Pallas 1764)</small>
** ''T. r. ruficollis'' <small>(Pallas 1764)</small> (European little grebe)
** ''T. r. albescens'' <small>(Blanford 1877)</small> (Indian little grebe)
** ''T. r. capensis'' <small>(Salvadori 1884)</small> (African little grebe)
** ''T. r. cotabato'' <small>(Rand 1948)</small> (Mindanao little grebe)
** ''T. r. iraquensis'' <small>(Ticehurst 1923)</small> (Iraq little grebe)
** ''T. r. poggei'' <small>(Reichenow 1902)</small>
** ''T. r. philippensis'' <small>(Bonnaterre 1790)</small> (Philippine little grebe)
* [[Australasian grebe]] ''Tachybaptus novaehollandiae'' <small>(Stephens 1826)</small>
** ''T. n. novaehollandiae'' <small>(Stephens 1826)</small> (Australian little grebe)
** ''T. n. fumosus'' <small>(Mayr 1943)</small>
** ''T. n. incola'' <small>(Mayr 1943)</small>
** ''T. n. javanicus'' <small>(Mayr 1943)</small>
** ''T. n. leucosternos'' <small>(Mayr 1931)</small>
** ''T. n. rennellianus'' <small>(Mayr 1943)</small>
*[[Madagascar grebe]] ''Tachybaptus pelzelnii'' <small>(Hartlaub 1861)</small>
*[[Tricolored grebe]] ''Tachybaptus tricolor'' <small>(Gray 1861)</small>
** ''T. t. tricolor'' <small>(Gray 1861)</small>
** ''T. t. collaris'' <small>(Mayr 1945)</small>
** ''T. t. vulcanorum'' <small>(Rensch 1929)</small>
*†[[Alaotra grebe]] ''Tachybaptus rufolavatus'' <small>(Delacour 1932)</small> (extinct 2010)
|-
|[[File:Poliocephalus poliocephalus RB.jpg|175px]] ||''[[Poliocephalus (bird)|Poliocephalus]]'' {{small|Selby, 1840}} || 
* [[Hoary-headed grebe]] ''Poliocephalus poliocephalus'' <small>(Jardine & Selby 1827)</small>
* [[New Zealand grebe]] ''Poliocephalus rufopectus'' <small>(Gray 1843)</small>
|-
|[[File:101 - CLARK'S GREBE (5-18-08) santa margarita lake, sloco, ca (2) (8722134244).jpg|175px]] ||''[[Aechmophorus]]'' {{small|Coues, 1862}} ||
* [[Western grebe]] ''Aechmophorus occidentalis'' <small>(Lawrence 1858)</small>
** ''A. o. occidentalis'' <small>(Lawrence 1858)</small>
** ''A. o. ephemeralis'' <small>Dickerman 1986</small>
* [[Clark's grebe]] ''Aechmophorus clarkii'' <small>(Lawrence 1858)</small>
** ''A. c. clarkii'' <small>(Lawrence 1858)</small>
** ''A. c. transitionalis'' <small>Dickerman 1986</small>
|-
|[[File:Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) (14).JPG|175px]] ||''[[Podiceps]]'' {{small|Latham 1787}} ||
*[[Horned grebe]] or Slavonian grebe, ''Podiceps auritus'' <small>(Linnaeus 1758)</small>
** ''P. a. auritus'' <small>(Linnaeus 1758)</small> (Slavonian grebe)
** ''P. a. cornutus'' <small>(Gmelin 1789)</small> (horned grebe)
*[[Great crested grebe]] ''Podiceps cristatus'' <small>(Linnaeus 1758)</small>
** ''P. c. cristatus'' <small>(Linnaeus 1758)</small> (Eurasian great crested grebe)
** ''P. c. australis'' <small>Gould 1844</small> (Australasian great crested grebe)
** ''P. c. infuscatus'' <small>Salvadori 1884</small> (African great crested grebe)
*[[Hooded grebe]] ''Podiceps gallardoi'' <small>Rumboll 1974</small>
* [[Red-necked grebe]] ''Podiceps grisegena'' <small>(Boddaert 1783)</small>
** ''P. g. grisegena'' <small>(Boddaert 1783)</small> (European red-necked grebe)
** ''P. g. holbollii'' <small>Reinhardt 1853</small> (Holbøll's grebe)
*[[Great grebe]] ''Podiceps major'' <small>(Boddaert 1783) Bochenski 1994</small>
** ''P. m. major'' <small>(Boddaert 1783)</small>
** ''P. m. navasi'' <small>Manghi 1984</small>
* [[Black-necked grebe]] or eared grebe ''Podiceps nigricollis'' <small>Brehm 1831</small>
** ''P. n. nigricollis'' <small>Brehm 1831</small> (Eurasian black-necked grebe)
** ''P. n. gurneyi'' <small>(Roberts 1919)</small> (African black-necked grebe)
** ''P. n. californicus'' <small>(Heermann, 1854)</small> (eared grebe)
* [[Silvery grebe]] ''Podiceps occipitalis'' <small>Garnot 1826</small>
** ''P. o. occipitalis'' <small>Garnot 1826</small> (southern silvery grebe)
** ''P. o. juninensis'' <small>von Berlepsch & Stolzmann 1894</small> (northern silvery grebe)
* [[Junin grebe|Junín grebe]] ''Podiceps taczanowskii'' <small>von Berlepsch & Stolzmann 1894</small>
* †[[Colombian grebe]] ''Podiceps andinus'' <small>(Meyer de Schauensee 1959)</small> (extinct 1977)
|-
|[[File:Rollandia rolland-swims.jpg|175px]] ||''[[Rollandia (bird)|Rollandia]]'' {{small|Bonaparte, 1856}} ||
* [[Titicaca grebe]] ''Rollandia microptera'' <small>Gould 1868</small>
* [[White-tufted grebe]] ''Rollandia rolland'' <small>Quoy & Gaimard 1824</small>
** ''R. r. rolland'' <small>Quoy & Gaimard 1824</small> (Falkland white-tufted grebe)
** ''R. r. chilensis'' <small>Lesson 1828</small> (Chilean white-tufted grebe)
** ''R. r. morrisoni'' <small>Simmons 1962</small> (Junín white-tufted grebe)
|-

|}

==Natural history==
===Habitat, distribution and migration===
Grebes are a nearly cosmopolitan clade of [[waterbirds]], found on every continent except [[Antarctica]]. They are absent from the [[Arctic Circle]] and arid environments. They have successfully colonized islands such as [[Madagascar]] and [[New Zealand]]. Some species, such as the [[eared grebe]] (''Podiceps nigricollis'') and [[great crested grebe]] (''P. cristatus''), are found on multiple continents with regional subspecies or populations. A few species like the [[Junin grebe]] (''P. taczanowskii'') and the recently extinct [[Atitlán grebe]] (''Podilymbus gigas'') are lake endemics. During the warmer or breeding seasons, many species of grebes in the northern hemisphere reside in a variety of [[freshwater]] habitats like [[lake]]s and [[marsh]]es. Once winter arrives, many will migrate to [[marine environment]]s along the coastlines. During migration, grebes migrate either by flying overland at night or swimming along the coast during the day.<ref name="HBW1992Grebes"/>{{Rp|183}} Grebes are most prevalent in the [[New World]], with almost half of the world's species native there.<ref name="HBW1992Grebes"/>{{Rp|174}}<ref name="Harrisonetal2021">{{cite book | last1 = Harrison | first1 =P. | last2 = Perrow | first2 =M. | last3 = Larsson | first3 =H. | year=2021 | title=Seabirds: The New Identification Guide. | publisher = Lynx Ediciones |location=Barcelona | isbn = 978-84-16728-41-1}}</ref>

===Feeding ecology===
The feeding ecology of grebes is diverse. Larger species, such as those in the genus ''[[Aechmophorus]]'', have spear-like bills to catch mid-depth fish, while smaller species, such as those in the genera ''[[Tachybaptus]]'' and ''[[Podilymbus]]'', tend to be short and stout with a preference for catching small aquatic invertebrates. The majority of grebes prey on aquatic invertebrates, with only a handful of large-bodied [[piscivore]]s. The aforementioned ''Aechmophorus'' is the most piscivorous of the grebes. Closely related species that overlap in their range often avoid interspecific competition by having prey preferences and adaptations for it. In areas where there is just a single species, they tend to have more generalized bills with a greater range of prey sources.<ref name="Johnsgard1987">{{cite book | last1 = Johnsgard | first1 =P. |year=1987 |title=Diving Birds of North America. | publisher=University of Nebraska Press | location=Nebraska | isbn = 9780803225664}}</ref>{{Rp|40–41}}
{{multiple image
| align             = center
| total_width       = 630
| image1            = PodilymbusPodiceps 6798.JPG
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = The [[pied-billed grebe]] (''Podilymbus podiceps'') is a small species of grebe that mostly hunts aquatic invertebrates. Here, a parent feeds its chicks a crayfish.
| image2            = Dinner is Served (29844986194).jpg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = The [[Clark's grebe]] (''Aechmophorus clarkii'') is a large species of grebe that mostly hunts fish. Here, a parent feeds its chick.
| footer            = 
| direction         = 
}}

===Breeding and reproduction===
Grebes are perhaps best known for their elaborate courtship displays. Most species perform a duet together, and many have their synchronized rituals. Some, like those species in the genus ''[[Podiceps]]'', do a "penguin dance" where the male and female stand upright, with their chests puffed out, and run along the water's surface. A similar ritual in other species is the "weed dance", in which both partners hold pieces of aquatic vegetation in their bills and are positioned upright towards each other. There is also the "weed rush", in which partners swim towards each other, necks stretched out with weeds in their bills, and just before colliding, position themselves upright and then swim in parallel.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

In the smaller and basal genera like ''Tachybaptus'' and ''Podilymbus,'' there is incorporation of aquatic vegetation in their courtship. Still, it is not as elaborate as the more derived and larger species. It has been hypothesized that such courtship displays between mates originated from intraspecific aggression that evolved in a way that strengthened pair bonds. Once these courtship rituals are completed, both partners solicit copulation from each other and mount on floating platforms of vegetation.  Females lay two to seven eggs, and incubation can last nearly a month. Chicks of the nest hatch asynchronously. Once the whole nest has hatched, the chicks begin to climb on one of their parents' backs. Both parents take care of rearing their young, and the duration of care is longer than that of other waterfowl. This enables a greater survival rate for the chicks. One parent dives for food, while the other watches the young on the surface.<ref name="Johnsgard1987" /><ref name="Ogilvie2002">{{cite book | last1 = Ogilvie | first1 = M. A. |year=2002 |title=Grebes of the World. | publisher=  Bruce Coleman Books | location= | isbn = 978-1872842035}}</ref>{{Rp|14–16}}<ref name="Fjeldså2004">{{cite book | last1 = Fjeldså | first1 =J. |year=2004 |title=The Grebes. | publisher=Oxford University Press | location=Oxford | isbn = 978-0198500643}}</ref>{{Rp|113–114}}

===Parasitology===
[[File:Theromyzon (YPM IZ 058099) 002.jpeg|thumb|The leech genus ''[[Theromyzon]]'' is an external parasite that has been found in the nasal cavities of grebes.]]

Two hundred forty-nine species of [[parasitic worm]]s have been known to parasitize the intestinal region of grebes. The [[Amabiliidae|amabiliid]]s are a family of [[Cyclophyllidea|cyclophyllid]] [[Cestoda|cestodes]] that are almost all grebe specialists. The life cycle of these tapeworms begins when eggs are passed through the feces, where they are picked up by intermediate hosts, which include [[Corixidae|corixid]] [[Hemiptera|bug]]s and the nymphs of [[Odonata]]. These aquatic insects are eventually consumed by grebes, where the lifecycle begins again. Another grebe specialist family of internal parasites is the [[Dioecocestidae]]. Other families, such as [[Echinostomatidae]] and [[Hymenolepididae]], also contain several cestode species that are grebe specialists.<ref name="Storer2000">{{Cite journal |last1=Storer |first1=R. W. |year=2000 |title=The metazoan parasite fauna of grebes (Aves: Podicepediformes) and its relationship to the birds' biology. |journal=Miscellaneous Publications-Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. |volume =  |issue = 188 |pages = 1–99}}</ref>

The prominent external parasites of grebes are the [[lice]] of the clade [[Ischnocera]]. One genus of these lice, ''[[Aquanirmus]],'' is the only one that is a grebe specialist. Another major group of parasites is the two [[mite]]s of the families [[Rhinonyssidae]] and [[Ereynetidae]]; these infect the nasal passages of grebes. The rhinonyssids move slowly in the mucous membranes, drinking blood, while the ereynetids live on the surface. Various lineages of feather mites of the clade [[Analgoidea]] have evolved to occupy different sections of the feather. ''[[Theromyzon]]'' ("duck leeches") tend to feed in the nasal cavities of waterbirds in general, including grebes.<ref name="Storer2000"/>

==Conservation==
[[File:Tachybaptus rufolavatus - Zürich Zoo.JPG|thumb|[[Alaotra grebe]] (''T.&nbsp;rufolavatus'') was one of the three species of lake endemic grebes that have gone extinct. ]]
Thirty percent of the total extant species are considered threatened by the IUCN. The handful of critically endangered and extinct species of grebe are lake endemics, and nearly all of them are or were flightless. The three recently extinct species consist of the [[Alaotra grebe]], the [[Atitlán grebe]], and the [[Colombian grebe]]. These species went extinct due to anthropogenic changes, such as habitat loss, the introduction of invasive predatory fishes, and the use of fishing nets that tangled birds in the lakes where they once existed. Similar issues are befalling the Colombian grebe's closest relatives, the [[Junin grebe]] and [[hooded grebe]], along with climate change.<ref name="Hume2017">{{cite book | last1 = Hume | first1 =J. P. |year=2017 |title=Extinct Birds: Second Edition | publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing | location=London | isbn = 978-1472937445}}</ref>{{Rp|73–75}}<ref name="Winkleretal2020">{{cite journal |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/podici1/cur/introduction |title=Grebes (Podicipedidae) version 1.0. |last1=Winkler |first1=D. W. |last2=Billerman |first2=S. M. |last3=Lovette |first3=I. J. |editor1-last=Billerman |editor1-first=S. M. |editor2-last=Keeney |editor2-first=B. K. |editor3-last=Rodewald |editor3-first=P. G. |editor4-last=Schulenberg |editor4-first=T. S. |date=2020 |website=Birds of the World |location=Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA |doi=10.2173/bow.podici1.01 |s2cid=240888948 |access-date=21 December 2022 |archive-date=21 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221135718/https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/podici1/cur/introduction |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Podicipediformes by population]]{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|35em}}

==Further reading==
*Konter, André (2001): ''Grebes of our world: visiting all species on 5 continents''. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. <small>{{ISBN|84-87334-33-4}}</small>
*[[Malcolm Ogilvie|Ogilvie, Malcolm]] & Rose, Chris (2003): ''Grebes of the World''. Bruce Coleman Books, Uxbridge, England. <small>{{ISBN|1-872842-03-8}}</small>
*[[Charles Sibley|Sibley, Charles Gald]] & Monroe, Burt L. Jr. (1990): ''Distribution and taxonomy of the birds of the world: A Study in Molecular Evolution''. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. <small>{{ISBN|0-300-04969-2}}</small>

==External links==
{{Commons category|Podicipedidae}}
{{Wikispecies|Podicipedidae}}
{{Americana Poster|Grebes}}
*[http://www.tolweb.org/Podicipedidae/26371 Tree of Life Grebes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625104136/http://tolweb.org/Podicipedidae/26371 |date=2013-06-25 }}
*openclipart.org: [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927024356/http://openclipart.org/cchost/media/tags/aechmophorus Grebes clip-art]
*''[https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscidivingbirds/ Diving Birds of North America]'' by [[Paul Johnsgard]]
*[https://watch.opb.org/video/oregon-field-guide-grebes-walk-water/ Grebes Walk on Water]  Documentary produced by [[Oregon Field Guide]]
*{{Cite NSRW|short=x|wstitle=Grebe}}

{{Grebes}}
{{Birds}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q21695}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Podicipedidae]]
[[Category:Podicipediformes]]
[[Category:Diving animals]]
[[Category:Extant Chattian first appearances]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte]]