Hoary-headed Grebe
Poliocephalus poliocephalus
Small ducklike bird that rides low in the water. In breeding plumage note distinctive streaked head and pale neck. In non-breeding plumage it is much paler, with the dark cap extending to just below the eye (compare with Australasian Grebe). Can form very large flocks; typically found on ponds and lakes, including estuaries.
Identification
The hoary-headed grebe is a fairly small dark grey and white grebe. It has a brown eye and a black patch under the chin, and a narrow black streak down the back of the neck. During the breeding season the adult's plumage has white streaks over its entire head, giving them the common name of hoary-headed grebe. Juveniles have a white chin and throat and a striped face. Males have two plumage phases: after breeding they lose the buff breast and the white lines on the head, but can usually be identified then by the broad black bar down the nape.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Poliocephalus poliocephalus
- Authority
- (Jardine & Selby, 1827)
- Order
- Podicipediformes
- Family
- Podicipedidae
- Genus
- Poliocephalus
Range and habitat
The hoary-headed grebe is found in all states and territories of Australia. It is generally absent from the central arid regions of Australia. The hoary-headed grebe is usually found away from the shoreline in large open waters, which may be estuarine, brackish or freshwater. It can also be found in sheltered coastal seas. It can sometimes be found in New Zealand, where it is much less common than Australia.
- Breeding range
- AU : sw, se Australia and Tasmania
- Non-breeding range
- AU : Australia and Tasmania (except far ne, sc)
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
With a large range and no evidence of significant population decline, this species’ conservation status is of Least Concern.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Mountain Barbet
Psilopogon monticola
Faded-looking barbet of Borneo’s north-central mountain ranges. Grass-green above and pale green below, with a pale blue head, an off-white throat, and a bright red streak on the back of the head. Relatively common in montane and submontane forest and edge (most common 600–1200) but can be difficult to see. Listen for its song, a series of hollow, echoing notes comparable to a water bottle being emptied. Can be found in and around fruiting trees, sometimes in mixed flocks.
Humblot's Sunbird
Cinnyris humbloti
A small sunbird with a relatively short, slightly downcurved bill. Males are colorful, with blue and purple iridescence on the head and breast and orange and yellow on the belly. Females are fairly drab, with a dark-spotted white breast and a yellow belly. Found in all habitats on the islands of Grand Comoro and Moheli. Found alongside Madagascar Sunbird, but much smaller, with a shorter, weaker bill. Males further separated by their paler yellow belly, and females by having less streaking on the underparts and no conspicuous pale eyebrow. The song is a typical sunbird jumble of squeaky notes, and the call is a rising whine.
Spix's Woodcreeper
Xiphorhynchus spixii
Medium-sized woodcreeper with a slightly curved bill. Has buff spots on its head which become elongated semi-circles with dark edges on the mantle and underparts. Found in the understory of humid forest, where it regularly accompanies mixed-species flocks and occasionally attends army-ant swarms. The song is a fast trill that ends with a whine “-wheu.” Best distinguished from the similar Striped Woodcreeper by Spix’s darker bill, darker and less contrasting head, and different song and habitat.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.