I 17 



RED-NECKED GREBE (Podioeps grisegena; choice 2', pg. 25) occurs along 

 most Bering Sea coasts only during summer, is found year round along 

 coasts from the southern Bering Sea to southeast Alaska, and occurs south 

 of there mainly during the fall, winter and early spring but rarely during 

 summer. Individuals found south of central California are worthy of note. 



HORNED GREBE (Podioeps auritus; choice 6, pg. 25) occurs along 

 southern Bering Sea coasts during summer and from western Alaska to 

 northern Baja California during fall, winter, spring and, rarely, 

 during summer. 



Tarsus measurements will separate most specimens from those of Eared 

 Grebes. For headless specimens in winter plumage whose tarsi measure 

 43-45 mm, separation of the two species is virtually impossible. 



EARED GREBE (Podiceps nigrioollis; choice 6', pg. 26) is found in 

 coastal waters only rarely during the summer, but otherwise year round 

 from British Columbia to southern Baja California. See discussion of 

 Horned Grebe for further clues on identification. 



PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podioeps; choice 5, pg. 25) is not 

 abundant in marine waters, but specimens occasionally occur from British 

 Columbia (perhaps rarely in southeast Alaska) to southern Baja California. 

 They could occur in this region at any time of year. The characteristic 

 shape of the toes, the more extensive webbing between the toes, the 

 difference in white coloration of secondaries, and the tawny color 

 (vs. white in the others) of the neck and breast should distinguish 

 specimens of this species from other grebes of its size. 



ALBATROSSES (DIOMEDEIDAE) 



Enormous size in conjunction with very long, narrow wings are characters 

 that should separate an albatross from any other kind of bird one could 

 encounter. Other large birds such as pelicans, frigatebirds, swans and 

 the largest geese all have rather broad wings. Using the keys properly, 

 one should have no trouble in identifying the albatross specimens unless 

 one finds a species not represented, a very unlikely but possible event. 

 For this reason, the following accounts discuss only the occurrence of 

 each species. 



SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS (Diomedea albatrus; choices 2 and 3, pg. 26). 

 It would be truly remarkable to find a specimen now but since the popula- 

 tion is recovering slowly from decimation, someday, once again, it could 

 be the most abundant albatross along this coast. If a specimen is 

 found, regardless of its stage of decomposition it should be taken to the 

 nearest major museum. The species could occur at any time of the year in 

 North American waters but perhaps more likely in summer. Its range in 

 the eastern Pacific region used to extend from the Bering Sea to southern 

 Baja California. 



