Pied-billed Grebe

Description:

This grebe is one of the smallest of the Grebe family in the Americas. The are stocky for their size and have shorter necks they bigger ones. Still they are very quick diving birds. Brown in color with darker brown on crown and back. They lack the white under wings like larger grebes. They do have dirty white patch on the underside of the tail. Bill is shorter then the larger species and thicker. Grey in color and during the summer months have a black ring around the bill. Their feet are lobed and look like flat paddles for toes. They feed on mainly on aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans, small fish, amphibians and some plants. They even eat their own feathers to help in digestion. Their bills are strong enough to crush crustaceans.

Habitat:

Found in both fresh and saltwater, in marshes, lakes, ponds and slow moving to still rivers. They prefer waters with aquatic vegetation that also floats on the surface during the breeding season.

Notes:

Made a trip to Heather Farms and got more shots. The 2nd and 3rd is when it caught a fish and swallowed it.