Great Crested Grebe

water birds · fancy plumage · courtship displays

Spectacular dance moves. Great crested grebes perform one of nature's most amazing courtship dances, where a male and female mirror each other's movements perfectly, diving and rising together in the water like synchronized swimmers.

Dramatic head feathers. During breeding season, both males and females grow long feathers on their heads that stick up like a fancy crown, which they can raise and lower to show off during their dances.

Built for water life. These grebes have legs positioned far back on their bodies and no tail, making them expert swimmers but awkward on land. They rarely come ashore except to nest.

Striking colors. Great crested grebes have glossy black and white plumage with warm orange-brown patches on their necks and heads, making them instantly recognizable on lakes and rivers.

Floating nests. Instead of building nests on shore like most birds, grebes construct floating platforms made of water plants that drift on the water, where they lay their eggs.