Description:

A small, chunky, dark grebe, triangular-shaped head, with crown peaking at rear. Bill is stouter and not upturned. Has two white patches on upperwing, with white patch on wing-coverts. White cheeks contrast with black crown and white fore-neck in non-breeding plumage. Yellow ear-tufts and rufous neck and breast in breeding plumage.

Distribution:

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

Behavior:

Remarkably agile under water. Main foraging method is diving; feeds also from surface, taking floating and aerial prey, or snatching it off aquatic vegetation. Adults and larvae of insects normally predominate food items, but also fish. Highly adaptable, shifting to whatever food readily available. Mainly beetles, dragonflies and damselflies, mayflies, water bugs and crustaceans.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

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

Seasonal Occurrence of Horned 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.