Similar Species
Horned Grebe
Breeding adult
Horned Grebes in breeding plumage have a chestnut neck and golden head tufts that run in a line along the head, rather than Eared Grebe's black neck and fan-shaped splay of feathers.
© Kyle Blaney | Macaulay LibraryAlberta, June 01, 2015Similar Species
Horned Grebe
Nonbreeding
Horned Grebes in nonbreeding plumage have a sharp border between the black crown and white cheek. At close range, they have a white tip to the bill whereas Eared Grebe's bill is all dark.
© Alix d'Entremont | Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, February 21, 2015Similar Species
Red-necked Grebe
Breeding adult
Red-necked Grebes are larger with longer, stouter bills than Eared Grebes. In breeding plumage they have a white cheek and red neck, unlike Eared's black neck and head.
© Richard Poort | Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 19, 2017Similar Species
Red-necked Grebe
Nonbreeding
Red-necked Grebes are larger and longer necked than Eared Grebes, with a larger bill that is yellowish. In nonbreeding plumage Red-necked has a clean white cheek without the dark ear patch of Eared.
© Samuel Paul Galick | Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, February 10, 2014Similar Species
Pied-billed Grebe
Breeding
Pied-billed Grebes are smaller than Eared Grebes with a shorter neck and a thicker, stubbier bill.
© Luke Seitz | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 25, 2013Main Species
Eared Grebe
Breeding adult
Fairly small grebe with peaked head and thin, straight bill. Breeding adult has black head and neck with golden feathers fanning out behind eye. Sides are chestnut.
© Darlene Friedman | Macaulay LibraryMichigan, April 09, 2016Nonbreeding adult/immature
Fairly small grebe with small head and thin, straight bill. Black cap extends downward into a smudge on the cheek. Grayish neck accentuates white chin patch.
© Charmaine Anderson | Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 16, 2017Breeding adult
Breeding adults have a fan of golden feathers at the "ear," with a sooty body and cinnamon-red sides. Grebes have lobed rather than fully webbed feet that sit at the rear of their body.
© Galatee Films | Macaulay LibraryMay 01, 2000Immature
Small grebe with slender neck and rounded or peaked head. Immatures have brownish smudged necks.
© Bertrand Duhamel | Macaulay LibraryQuebec, October 06, 2016Breeding adult
Fairly small grebe with slender bill. At distance, breeding adults can appear all dark.
© Matthew Pendleton | Macaulay LibraryUtah, May 13, 2017Breeding adults
Eared Grebes have an elaborate courtship. The dance starts with an advertising call and progresses into a series of dives, feather raising, exaggerated body positions, and "running" across the water with neck extended.
© Galatee Films | Macaulay LibraryMay 01, 2000Breeding adult
Often occurs in flocks, sometimes very large during migration (up to hundreds of thousands). Note peaked head and slender bill.
© Matt Davis | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 21, 2017Nonbreeding adult/immature
In nonbreeding plumage, note peaked or rounded head, gray wash on cheeks, and white chin. Lacks a clear dividing line between hindneck and crown.
© Deanne McKinney | Macaulay LibraryOklahoma, January 23, 2016Nonbreeding adult/immature (with Bufflehead)
Note very different shape compared to ducks (even small ones like the Bufflehead at left): slender neck and small head with short, thin, bill.
© Paul Fenwick | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 13, 2016Breeding adult and juvenile
Breeds on small, shallow lakes and ponds with emergent vegetation and lots of insects (often on ponds that lack fish). Carries chicks on back after hatching.
© Peter Hawrylyshyn | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, June 07, 2017