DIVING BIRDS 



1. Western Grebe. Aechmophorus occidentalis 

 Range. — Western parts of North America, from 

 southern Alaska southward; east to Minnesota 

 and south in winter to the southern parts of the 

 United States and Mexico. Breeds from the Da- 

 kotas and northern California northward. These 

 are the largest of the American Grebes; owing to 

 their unusually long necks, they are frequently 

 called "Swan Grebes." They are very timid 

 birds and conceal themselves in the rushes on 

 the least suspicion of danger. At times, to escape 



Western Grebe 



Holboell's Grebe 



Chalky bluish white, stained buff 



observation, they will entirely submerge their 

 body, leaving only their head and part of the 

 long neck visible above the water. This Grebe 

 cannot be mistaken for any other because of the 

 long slender neck and the long pointed bill, 

 which has a slight upward turn. They nest abund- 

 antly in the marshes of North Dakota and central 

 Canada. Their nests are made of decayed rushes, 

 and are built over the water, being fastened to 

 the rushes so that the bottom of the nest rests in 

 the water. The nesting season is at its height 

 during the latter part of May. They lay from 

 three to five eggs, the ground color of which is a 

 pale blue; this color is, however, always concealed by a thin chalky deposit, 

 and this latter is frequently stained to a dirty white. Size 2.40 x 1.55. 



2. Holboell's Grebe. Colymbiis holboellii. 



Range. — Throughout North Amer- 

 ica, breeding from northern United 

 States northward and wintering 

 from the middle to the southern 

 portions of the United States. 



In regard to size this Grebe comes 

 next to the Western, being 19 in, 

 in length. This bird can be dis- 

 tinguished by the white cheeks and 

 throat and the reddish brown fore- 

 neck. They breed abundantly in 

 the far north placing their floating 

 islands of decayed vegetation in 

 the water in the midst of the 

 marsh grass. They lay from three 

 to six eggs of a dingy white color 



which have the stained surface common to Grebes eggs. Size 2.35 x 1.25. 



11 



White, stained buff 



