Description:

A large and spindly pale grebe with a long thin neck and bill and triangular head. Black crown does not extend to eye, and has white cheeks and foreneck in non-breeding plumage. Rufous-orange ear-tufts and white cheeks and foreneck in breeding plumage. Juvenile is similar to non-breeding, but has brown striping on cheeks.

Distribution:

Uncommon passage migrant through major waterways and lakes all across Gilgit-Baltistan. Prefers freshwater or saline lakes with aquatic vegetation, marshes and open slow moving rivers and streams. Up to 3000m during migration.

Behavior:

Main foraging technique is diving, typically with pursuit, and performed in areas of open water or with scattered clumps of vegetation. Also feeds from surface, with only head submerged, or picking insects off vegetation. Mainly feeds on fish; also consumes wide range of insects and other aquatic invertebrates, shrimps, and molluscs, including snails; also adults and larvae of amphibians.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Great Crested Grebe in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Great Crested Grebe

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.