Saturday, October 26, 2013

Eared Grebe

Eared Grebe
 I am sure that most people have heard the story f the ugly duckling. How a chick that looks different then all the other duck chicks grows up to become a beautiful swan. Well there are some species of birds that go through a similar metamorphosis each year. Take the eared grebe for example. The subject of both of these photos are eared grebes. Other then the red eye they do not look the same and I bet that if you spotted the two of them right next to each other that most people would think that they were two different species.
Eared Grebe
Of course spotting these two next to each other would be highly unlikely. The top photo is the eared grebe in its winter plumage. This photo was taken in California in February. Eared grebes migrate to the Pacific Coast, southwestern United States, and Mexico. The second photo is an eared grebe in its breeding plumage. I guess that it is hard to find a mate when you are in black and white. This photo was taken in Montana in May. Eared grebes breed on inland lakes in the western half of the U. S. and Canada.


9 comments:

Snap said...

Beautiful shots! Thanks for the education on eared grebes.

Anonymous said...

You're right... I don't believe I would have realized they were the same species of bird if I saw them side by side. Great shots.

Anni said...

Wow....pretty photos...it looks so dapper in the 'puffed up' plumage! Love the eye color too, don't you?

Anonymous said...

Fascinating post and bird photography ~ You always have great bird photos ~ thanks, carol ^_^

Gemma Wiseman said...

The difference between baby and adult colouring is incredible. And both are so cute.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

HI Jeff Many thanks for the information and great shots about the Grebe.

troutbirder said...

Thanks for the heads up. Most interesting....

Laura said...

That is a fascinating looking bird, what a headdress!

Kenneth Cole Schneider said...

Nice photos and informative comments!