Central Park Birding:: Species Accounts: Loons and Grebes

Central Park Birding:: Species Accounts: Loons and Grebes

Loons and grebes are both families with a strong affinity for water. Their feet are moved aft on the body to assist in their method of hunting (diving for fish and other aquatic organisms) at the cost of making them very ungainly on land. They also require a relatively long takeoff run - loons are notorious for stranding on frozen ponds and wet roads, when they are unable to take off again. Within the general NYC area, loons and grebes occur as migrants and also overwinter, primarily on the inshore regions of the oceans and sounds where Common Loon, Red-throated Loon and Horned Grebe are frequently found November-March. The smaller Pied-billed Grebe favors smaller freshwater pools, and is not found on the oceans.

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)

Abundance:	Rare during winter and early spring
Status:	Rare migrant and winter vagrant
Habitats:	Large bodies of water
Best dates:	no good times
Best location:	Reservoir
Most similar to:	Common Loon in winter plumage; not seen in breeding plumage
Other species accounts:	patuxent, cornell

Common Loon (Gavia immer)

Abundance:	Very uncommon in April, rare during fall and winter
Status:	Spring and fall migrant, often as fly-overs
Habitats:	Large bodies of water
Best dates:	April
Best location:	Reservoir
Most similar to:	Red-throated Loon in winter plumage; distinctive in breeding plumage
Other species accounts:	nycbirdreport, patuxent, cornell

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

Abundance:	Very uncommon late fall-early winter and early spring
Status:	Migrant and early winter visitor
Habitats:	Large bodies of water
Best dates:	Mid Oct - late December
Best location:	Reservoir
Most similar to:	Superficially similar to small diving ducks
Other species accounts:	nycbirdreport, patuxent, cornell

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