Albania (NB), Austria (NB), Azerbaijan (NB), Belarus (B) (P), Belgium (NB), Bulgaria (NB), Canada (B) (P), China (mainland), Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (NB), Czech Republic (NB), Denmark (B) (NB) (P), Estonia (B), Faroe Islands (B), Finland (B) (P), France (NB), Georgia (NB), Germany (B) (NB) (P), Greece (NB), Greenland (B) (NB), Hungary (NB), Iceland (B) (NB), Iran [Islamic Republic of], Ireland (NB), Italy (NB), Japan, Kazakhstan (B), Kyrgyzstan (NB), Latvia (B) (NB), Lithuania (B) (NB), Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (NB), Mexico, Moldova [Republic of] (B), Mongolia (B), Netherlands Antilles (B) (NB), North Korea, Norway (B) (NB) (P), Poland (B) (NB) (P), Romania (NB) (P), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B) (P), Russia (European) (B), Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (NB) (P), Slovenia (NB), South Korea, Spain (NB), St Pierre and Miquelon (NB) (P), Sweden (B) (NB) (P), Switzerland (NB), Taiwan (China), Turkey (NB), Ukraine (B) (NB), United Kingdom (B) (NB), USA (B), Uzbekistan.
Vagrant to Algeria, Armenia (NB), Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Hong Kong (China), India, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Portugal, Serbia, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia.
Unknown to Afghanistan.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 140,000 - 1,100,000 (2010).
Status VU
Habitat destruction, human disturbance, fluctuating water levels, and stocking of lakes with trout are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
In winter, mainly fish. In summer, mainly aquatic insects and their larvae.
Voice
Prolonged whinnying and a variety of other calls during the breeding season. Usually silent in winter.
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) [XC103566]
by Andrew Spencer from Rotlia Stange, County of Hedmark, United States (call)
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) [XC241889]
by Terje Kolaas from Kala-altaat, Joutsa, Central Finland, Norway (song)
Nest
A floating mound of water plants securely fastened to the surrounding vegetation.
Eggs (Guide)
3 - 5; white, but soon stained by weeds; ellipsoidal. Incubation: about 24 days; by both sexes. Shape and size are similar to Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), but tend to be a little more pointed.
Subspecies
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Palearctic, from Iceland and Baltic to Kamchatka. Winters from North Sea to Caspian and off Japan and China.
cornutus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) - Central Alaska to north-western and north-central USA. Winters south to California and Texas.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet