Great crested grebe by Colin Eve 1/10
Great crested grebe by Elizabeth Dack 2/10
Great crested grebe with 3 chicks by Ursula Keene 3/10
Great crested grebe nesting by David Thacker 4/10
Great crested grebes displaying by Alan Sillett 5/10
Great crested grebes in nest dispute by Tab Taberham 6/10
Great crested grebes dancing by Peter Walker 7/10
Young great crested grebe by Eduardo Garcia 8/10
Great crested grebe by Peter Dent 9/10
Great crested grebe by Paul Taylor 10/10

Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus

In summer the great crested grebe is one of the most unmistakable birds in Norfolk and is characteristic of the Norfolk Broads. In winter it takes on less dramatic plumage and may often be seen on the sea where it might be confused with the similar, though much rarer, red-necked grebe.

Conservation status

Happily, the great crested grebe is green-listed in the UK, meaning it is a species of least concern. Its population has recovered impressively since Victorian times when the species was persecuted to the edge of national extinction for its feathers and skin.

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Details

Did you know? Grebes, including great crested grebes, ingest their own feathers and feed feathers to their chicks. This is believed to help pellet formation.

Recent genetic studies indicate that grebes may be most closely related to flamingos.
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