GREBES: EARED GREBE 
77 
When Lake Burford, 1 on the Jicariila Apache Reservation at 7,500 feet, was first 
visited by Ligon July 19-20,1913, a large colony of these birds was located. The 
nests occupied an area in the tules about 150 feet long by 25 feet wide, about 25 feet 
from land, and were floating in water, 2-4 feet deep. A count showed about 250 
nests in the colony containing from 1 to 6 eggs, with three as the usual complement. 
Many birds were seen at the other end of the lake, but no other nests were found 
On July 26, Horse Lake about 12 miles north was visited, and by this time most of 
the eggs had hatched, and old birds with one to three young were common. Some 
of the young were half grown. On August 1, Lake Burford was revisited, when the 
eggs in the nests of July 19-20 were all hatched, but the colony had been extended 
each way by the addition of fully a hundred nests, many of which contained fresh 
eggs. On a third visit to Lake Burford, August 11, a new colony was found three- 
fourths of a mile from the earlier colony. This second colony was scattered along 
for half a mile through the tules in four feet of water and contained at least 300 com¬ 
pleted nests and many more in process of construction. Most of the eggs were fresh 
and in sets of 1-4. [On a fourth visit to the lake, in the summer of 1916, Ligon esti¬ 
mated about 250 pairs of Eared Grebes. In 1918 while Dr. Alexander Wetmore 
was visiting the lake, the Grebes, common earlier, suddenly increased in abundance 
between May 30 and June 1, becoming the most abundant of the breeding marsh 
birds on the lake.] 
More extended observations would undoubtedly reveal the presence of these 
birds at several other places in the State, but at the most only a small part of New 
Mexico furnishes congenial conditions. A single pair was noted in the summer of 
1898 on a small alkali lake at 7,000 feet near Las Vegas (Mitchell). [In June, 1918, 
they were found nesting in fair numbers on two lakes at 9,000 feet in the southern 
end of the Chuska Mountains, a colony of about forty nests being examined July 1. 
About two-thirds of the young had hatched (Wetmore).] A few breed south even 
to Mesilla, 3,800 feet, where they nest in some unfrequented ponds. 
Between Socorro and Albuquerque a single bird was noted, August 28, 1917, but 
they are rarely observed in migration (Ligon). 
Some may even winter at Mesilla, for they were noted on December 2, 1912, and 
again in February (Merrill). [Two were seen, December 9, 1918, on Cedar Lake, 
five miles northeast of Engle, a few days before the lake was frozen over (Ligon).] 
One specimen was taken at Bernalillo, October 28, 1900 (Birtwell). [On the Rio 
Grande Bird Reserve (Elephant Butte), the species was noted November 23- 
Dccember 9, 1916, and on the Carlsbad Bird Reserve was reported as abundant 
December, 1916 (Willett). 
[In spring, though they are rare at Silver City, one was taken on the Rio 
Mimbres, April 13, 1920 (Kellogg)].—W\ W. Cooke. 
Nest. —In large colonies, a floating or anchored mass of water soaked vegetation, 
on the shallow water of a pond or lake. Eggs: 4 to 6, dull white, more or less nest 
soiled. 
Food. —Almost wholly animal matter, largely aquatic insects—sometimes about 
90 per cent—including water boatmen, water bugs, etc.; also alkali flies, weevils, 
leaf-beetles, caterpillars, etc. The few small fish taken are apparently of little or 
no economic value. “The species is harmless to human interests’' (Wetmore). 
General Habits.— The quiet little Eared or Black-necked Grebe 
with the “ helmet-like crest” will often swim slowly along near shore or 
rest on the water returning your interested gaze as long as you will; 
i Formerly Stinking Spring Lake. 
