{"id":677,"date":"2010-09-01T18:52:56","date_gmt":"2010-09-02T00:52:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=677"},"modified":"2025-07-22T11:40:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T16:40:58","slug":"two-grebe-species","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2010\/09\/01\/two-grebe-species\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparing Two Grebe Species"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Two grebe species that are often misidentified are the Clark&#8217;s and Western Grebes. The Clark&#8217;s and Western Grebes are very closely related and they can be difficult to distinguish. Western and Clark&#8217;s Grebes are found strictly in North America, they share the same types of habitat and breeding grounds. Both species are very gregarious throughout the year. Until 1985 they were thought to be the same species that were classified as different color forms. Today we know them as two separate species.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-143767 size-full\" title=\"Clark's Grebe on rippled water, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227.jpg\" alt=\"Clark's Grebe on rippled water, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" data-id=\"11056\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\"> Clark&#8217;s Grebe on rippled water &#8211;\u00a0 D200, f6.3, 1\/1250, ISO 250, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\u00a0This Clark&#8217;s Grebe <em>(Aechmophorus clarkii<\/em>) image was taken at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah. Though similar in form to the Western there are some differences.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The Clark&#8217;s has a bright orange to yellow bill<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The black crest of the Clark&#8217;s does not reach the eye, there is a thin white area between the\u00a0crest and the red of the eye<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The Clark&#8217;s has a thin black line on the nape and the neck itself is thin<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The back of the Clark&#8217;s grebe is mostly\u00a0gray and white usually shows on the bird&#8217;s flanks<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The Clark&#8217;s Grebe above had just come up from a dive, the dark gray feathers of the back do look darker than normal when wet.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #888888;\"><strong>\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-150585 size-full\" title=\"Western Grebe in open water, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159.jpg\" alt=\"Western Grebe in open water, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8159.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/strong>Western Grebe in open water &#8211;\u00a0 D200, f7.1, 1\/750, ISO 200, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">This Western Grebe <em>(Aechmophorus occidentalis)<\/em> image was taken on the same day as the Clark&#8217;s Grebe at the same location. Without looking closely it would be easy to mistake it for a Clark&#8217;s or vice versa.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The bill of the Western Grebe is a greenish yellow and it is slightly upturned<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The black crown of the Western extends below the eye, in non-breeding plumage the dark part around the eye can be a bit lighter<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The S-shaped neck of a Western Grebe is slightly thicker than the Clark&#8217;s and the black neck stripe of the nape is shaped a little differently<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">The Western Grebe has a dark gray back and white does not usually show on the flanks while the grebe is floating on the water<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Both species rarely come to land because the placement of their legs far back on the body makes it\u00a0awkward for them to walk. Both species make their nests\u00a0from floating vegetation though on occasion the nests are constructed on land. They mainly feed on fresh or saltwater fish and crustaceans. Both species winter along the pacific coast of the southwest and Mexico.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Personally I find the calls of the Western and the Clark&#8217;s Grebes to be delightful, especially when they squabble with each other.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Both of these grebes can be challenging to expose correctly because of the white whites and the dark plumage. Early morning, late afternoon or diffused light is best as well as using careful exposure compensation evaluation.<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/clarks-grebe-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Clark\u2019s Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species. Click <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/western-grebe-images\/\">here<\/a> <\/span>to see more of my Western Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two Grebe species that are often misidentified are the Clark&#8217;s and Western Grebes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143767,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,163,27,1148,162,26,161],"tags":[4051,4155,699,215,164,4804,4982,877,707,4094,3972,165,4095],"class_list":["post-677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-bird-identification","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-clarks-grebes","category-utah","category-western-grebes","tag-adults","tag-aechmophorus-clarkii","tag-aechmophorus-occidentalis","tag-bird-id","tag-bird-identification-2","tag-comparing","tag-comparison","tag-grebe","tag-grebes-2","tag-marsh","tag-northern-utah","tag-spring","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8227.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-aV","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5171,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/12\/hitching-a-ride-grebe-chicks\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":0},"title":"Hitching A Ride &#8211; Grebe Chicks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Grebe chicks are showing up all over at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (aka Bear River National Wildlife Refuge) in northern Utah and they are just adorable to see and photograph.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Western Grebe with three chicks on its back, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20905,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/03\/08\/the-grebes-are-back-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":1},"title":"The Grebes Are Back At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 8, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Western and Clark's Grebes will soon number in the thousands at Bear River NWR along the auto tour route and on the Bear River itself.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clark's Grebe adult at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8300.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8300.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45617,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/17\/clarks-and-western-grebes-return-to-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":2},"title":"Clark&#8217;s and Western Grebes Return to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm happy that the Clark's and Western Grebes have returned for their breeding season at the refuge and I look forward to photographing them while they are here.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Clark's Grebe with a fish, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-fish-mia-mcpherson-8627.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-fish-mia-mcpherson-8627.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-fish-mia-mcpherson-8627.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-fish-mia-mcpherson-8627.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14739,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/11\/clarks-grebes-and-their-young\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":3},"title":"Clark&#8217;s Grebes And Their Young","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Clark's Grebes and their young are fascinating subjects to watch and photograph.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Clark's Grebe and prey at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37583,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/30\/clarks-grebes-return-to-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":4},"title":"Clark&#8217;s Grebes Return to Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 30, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I always enjoy when the Clark's Grebes return to northern Utah and hope that this year I will be able to photograph their weed ceremony or them rushing.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clark's Grebe at a pond near home in Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-6821.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-6821.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-6821.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-6821.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4756,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/04\/10\/clarks-grebes-nest-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":677,"position":5},"title":"Clark&#8217;s Grebes Nest at Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"It won't be long before the high, scratchy kweea kweea calls of Clark's Grebes are heard in Utah's Bear River National Wildlife Refuge if they haven't already arrived.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clark's Grebe at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-utah-mia-mcpherson-8308.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-utah-mia-mcpherson-8308.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-utah-mia-mcpherson-8308.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-utah-mia-mcpherson-8308.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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