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*Extends from eye and droops down over ear coverts
*Extends from eye and droops down over ear coverts
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[[Image:Black-necked_Grebe.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Nominate race in breeding plumage<br />Photo by {{user|martinuk|martinuk}}<br />Chmielek, [[Poland]], May 2002]]
*Red iris
*Red iris
*Black bill
*Black bill
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*Dark crown extends well below eye level and merges with grey ear coverts<br />
*Dark crown extends well below eye level and merges with grey ear coverts<br />
'''Juvenile''': Resemble non-breeding adult, but browner with cheeks tinged buff
'''Juvenile''': Resemble non-breeding adult, but browner with cheeks tinged buff
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====Similar Species====
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[[Image:d07_2059.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Non-breeding plumage<br />Photo by {{user|Gary+Clark|Gary Clark}}<br />[[Patagonia Lake]], [[Arizona]], [[USA]]]]
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[[Slavonian Grebe]]:
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'''Flight''': Upperwing shows broad white trailing edge to secondaries but lacks white of forewing base seen in Slavonian.
'''Flight''': Upperwing shows broad white trailing edge to secondaries but lacks white of forewing base seen in Slavonian.
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Dark of crown extends to well below level of eye and merges with grey ear-coverts thus less clearly demarcated compared to Slavonian.
Dark of crown extends to well below level of eye and merges with grey ear-coverts thus less clearly demarcated compared to Slavonian.
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====Similar Species====
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[[Slavonian Grebe]]:
==Distribution==
==Distribution==
Widespread in the both the Old and New Worlds but with a more southerly range than that of Slavonian Grebe P. auritus. Migratory in northern parts of range.
Widespread in the both the Old and New Worlds but with a more southerly range than that of Slavonian Grebe P. auritus. Migratory in northern parts of range.
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'''Vagrants''' recorded in [[Norway]] and [[Finland]] and south to the [[Azores]] and [[Madeira]].
'''Vagrants''' recorded in [[Norway]] and [[Finland]] and south to the [[Azores]] and [[Madeira]].
==Taxonomy==
==Taxonomy==
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Four subspecies are recognised. Race ''californicus'' occurs in North America and ''andinus'' in Colombia, nominate race in Eurasia and ''gurneyi'' in sub-Saharan Africa.
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
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There are 4 subspecies:
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*''P. n. nigricollis'':
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:*Locally in [[Eurasia]]
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*''P. n. gurneyi'':
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:*[[Africa]] south of the Sahara
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*''P. n. californicus'':
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:*[[Canada]] to [[Mexico]]; winters to [[Guatemala]]
==Habitat==
==Habitat==
Breeds on small and shallow, densely vegetated freshwaters, in Eurasia often in association with [[Black-headed Gull]]s. Breeding sites are frequently abandoned in favour of new sites for no apparent reason.
Breeds on small and shallow, densely vegetated freshwaters, in Eurasia often in association with [[Black-headed Gull]]s. Breeding sites are frequently abandoned in favour of new sites for no apparent reason.
Flight: Upperwing shows broad white trailing edge to secondaries but lacks white of forewing base seen in Slavonian.
At all seasons slightly upturned bill distinguishes from Slavonian and in non-breeding plumage the more diffuse border between dark and light on head is useful.
Dark of crown extends to well below level of eye and merges with grey ear-coverts thus less clearly demarcated compared to Slavonian.
Widespread in the both the Old and New Worlds but with a more southerly range than that of Slavonian Grebe P. auritus. Migratory in northern parts of range.
South America: Range very restricted and found only on mountain lakes in the Andes north of Bogota, Colombia.
Europe: Highly discontinuous breeding range but small populations persist in many Central and Eastern European countries. Largely absent from the north and west but there are small populations in Britain, central and eastern France, Belgium and central and southern Spain. Main range extends from Denmark and eastern Germany eastwards to the southern Urals and Caspian. Patchy range in the south-east with scattered populations in the Balkans and Turkey.
Asia: Range extends east to Central Asia and also breeds in eastern China and the Russian Far East.
Breeds on small and shallow, densely vegetated freshwaters, in Eurasia often in association with Black-headed Gulls. Breeding sites are frequently abandoned in favour of new sites for no apparent reason.
In winter on larger, more open freshwaters, estuaries and sheltered seas.
Behaviour
Breeding
Breeding begins mid-April in south of range to June in north, probably year-round in Africa. Breeds colonially, nest is a low mound of vegetation anchored to emergent vegetation in shallow water. Eggs: 3-5 (rarely 2-8), whitish initially soon becoming stained (44 x 30mm). Incubated by both sexes but mainly female for 20-21 days. Young tended by both sexes but divide brood in later stages, young able to feed themselves at 14 days, independent at 21 days. Single-brooded, possibly double-brooded at times.
Diet
Aquatic insects and their larvae, small fish, amphibians and crustaceans.
Vocalisation
A wide range of calls when breeding including a display trill, a whistling bidder-widder-widder and a low poo-eep. Alarm call is whit repeated 2-3 times.
Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
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