Hooded Grebe

Overview

The hooded grebe (Podiceps gallardoi) is a medium-sized waterbird endemic to the southern region of Argentina. Classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, this species inhabits isolated lakes in the remote Patagonian steppes and winters along the Atlantic coast.

Identification

• Plumage: Mainly white wings and flanks contrasting with a dark grey back.
• Markings: Features a black hood with a distinct white forehead and a red or golden crest.
• Size: Reaches a length of approximately 32 cm (13 in).

Habitat

During the breeding season, the bird occupies basaltic lakes in the Patagonian steppes at elevations between 500 and 1,200 metres. It requires aquatic vegetation, specifically Myriophyllum elatinoides, for nesting and foraging. Non-breeding flocks utilise saline and bitter salt lakes, while wintering occurs in estuaries on the Atlantic coast.

Diet

The grebe feeds primarily on aquatic invertebrates found within the aquatic vegetation of its breeding lakes. During the week after hatching, chicks are specifically fed aquatic beetles, such as Limnaea spp.

Did you know?

Reproductive success is critically low, with adults raising an average of only 0.2 young annually. Grebes are limited to laying two eggs per clutch and usually take care of just one, a factor that is exacerbated by predation from kelp gulls and American mink.