0 the pied-billed grebe (podilymbus podiceps) is a species of the grebe family of water birds .
1  since the atitln grebe (podilymbus gigas) has become extinct , it is the sole extant member of the genus podilymbus .
2  the pied-billed grebe is primarily found in ponds throughout the americas .
3 he pied-billed grebe was described by carl linnaeus in the 10th edition of his systema naturae in 1758 as colymbus podiceps .
4  the binomial name is derived from latin podilymbus , a contraction of podicipes ("feet at the buttocks", from podici-, "rump-" + pes , "foot")the origin of the name of the grebe orderand ancient greek kolymbos , "diver", and podiceps , "rump-headed", from podici- + new latin ceps .
5 outside its own genus , the closest relatives of the pied-billed grebe are the small grebes of the genus tachybaptus .
6 pied-billed grebes are small , stocky , and short-necked .
7  they are 3138 cm (1215 in) in length , with a wingspan of 4562 cm (1824 in) and weigh 253568 g (8.920.0 oz) .
8  they are mainly brown , with a darker crown and back .
9  their brown color serves as camouflage in the marshes they live in .
10  they do not have white under their wings when flying , like other grebes .
11  their undertail is white and they have a short , blunt chicken-like bill that is a light grey color , which in summer is encircled by a broad black band (hence the name) .
12  in the summer , its throat is black .
13  there is no sexual dimorphism .
14  juveniles have black and white stripes and look more like winter adults .
15  this grebe does not have webbed feet .
16  its toes have lobes that come out of the side of each toe .
17  these lobes allow for easy paddling .
18  when flying , the feet appear behind the body due to the feet's placement in the far back of the body .
19 it may be confused with the least grebe , although that species is much smaller and has a thinner bill .
20  other similarly sized grebes are very distinct in plumage , i .
21 e .
22  the eared grebe and horned grebe .
23  both species bear much more colorful breeding plumage , with rufous sides , golden crests along the side of the head against contrasting slaty color (also a rufous neck in the horned); while in winter , both the eared and horned grebes are pied with slaty and cream color and have red eyes .
24 its call is unique , loud and sounds like a "whooping kuk-kuk-cow-cow-cow-cowp-cowp .
25 " its call is similar to the yellow-billed cuckoo .
26 they are most commonly found throughout north america , central america and south america year round .
27  during the summer breeding season , they are most prevalent in central , northern and northeastern canada .
28  if they live in an area where the water freezes in the winter they will migrate .
29  migrating birds generally meet with year round birds in september and october .
30  they migrate at night .
31  most migratory birds leave in march or april .
32  they make occasional appearances in europe and hawaii .
33  in the united kingdom , pied-billed grebe visits have numbered 37 sightings as of 2007, appearing generally in october to january .
34  one bird in england bred with a little grebe , producing hybrid young .
35  it is the only grebe on record to have visited the galapagos islands .
36 pied-billed grebes are found in freshwater wetlands with emergent vegetation , such as cattails .
37  they are occasionally found in salt water .
38  when breeding they are found in emergent vegetation near open water , and in the winter they are primarily found in open water due to the lack of nests to maintain .
39  they may live near rivers , but prefer still water .
40  they may be found in higher elevations when migrating .
41  they will breed in restored and man-made wetlands .
42 pied-billed grebes live approximately 1012 years .
43 pied-billed grebes rarely fly .
44  they make a slow dive frequently , especially when in danger , diving to about 20 ft (6.1 m) or less .
45  they dive for about 30 seconds and may move to a more secluded area of the water , allowing only the head to be visible to watch the danger dissipate .
46  this frequency in diving has earned them the description of being reclusive or shy in nature .
47  it has also earned them nicknames like "hell-diver .
48 " they rarely spend time in flocks .
49  their courtship include calling and sometimes duets .
50  males will show territorial behaviour if another male is at the edge of his territory .
51  they face each other and then turn their heads and bills up .
52  then they turn away and start calling .
53  then they turn back around to look at one another .
54 the pied-billed grebe breeds in south-central canada , throughout the united states , central america , the caribbean , and temperate south america .
55  these grebes may lay up to two sets of eggs a year .
56  their nests sit on top of the water , their eggs sitting in vegetation that resides in the water .
57  grebes lay between three and ten bluish white smooth elliptical eggs with the female starting the incubation process .
58  they are incubated for around 23 days by both parents , with the female taking over incubation duties towards the end of that time period .
59  they will cover the nest with nesting material if they have to leave it for an extended period of time .
60 young grebes may leave the nest within one day of hatching .
61  they are downy at birth .
62  yellow skin is seen between the lore and top of the head .
63  they do not swim well and stay out of the water .
64  they sleep on their parents' backs .
65  within four weeks they start swimming .
66  when alerted they will climb on the back of a parent grebe and eventually mature to dive under the water like their parents .
67  both parents share the role of raising the young  both feeding and carrying them on their backs .
68  sometimes the parents will dive underwater to get food with the chicks on their backs .
69 pied-billed grebes feed mainly on aquatic invertebrates , and also on small fish and amphibians (frogs , tadpoles) .
70  they dive to obtain food .
71  their bills allow them to crush crustaceans , like crawfish .
72  they may also eat plants .
73  they have been shown to eat their own feathers , like other grebes , to aid in digestion (prevent injury from small bones) .
74  they will also feed their feathers to their young .
75 they are extremely sensitive to disturbances , especially by humans .
76  while breeding , if scared , adults may abandon their nests without protecting the eggs .
77  the waves from boats can destroy the nests and their sounds easily frighten the birds .
