Justification This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Family/Sub-family Podicipedidae

Species name author (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomic source(s) AERC TAC (2003), Christidis and Boles (1994), Christidis and Boles (2008), Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Turbott (1990)

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

920,000 - 1,400,000

unset

39,600,000 km²

No

Range & population The Great Crested Grebe is found across most of Europe and central Asia, though it also winters in parts of southern Asia (e.g. northern India). Colonies can also be found scattered through Africa, from Tunisia and Egypt in the north, through a few scattered colonies in central Africa to South Africa. Nesting colonies are also found in southern Australia and New Zealand, with individuals wintering in eastern and northern Australia¹.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: Behaviour The majority of this species is fully migratory although some populations may only undergo local dispersive movements¹. It breeds between April and September in Europe, in all months of the year in Africa (peaking during long rainy season) and from November to March in Australasia, nesting either in solitary, dispersed pairs or in loose colonies¹ (forming only where safe nesting sites are few and feeding areas are extensive)². After breeding (from August to October)² adults may disperse locally to large lakes and reservoirs to undergo a flightless moulting period¹, during which gatherings of hundreds of individuals (occasionally even greater than 10,000) may form². During the winter the species largely remains solitary³, especially when feeding², but temporary congregations³ of up to 5,000 individuals may form in some areas².Habitat Breeding The species breeds on fresh or brackish waters with abundant emergent and submerged vegetation^{1, 3}, showing a preference for non-acidic eutrophic waterbodies with flat or sloping banks and muddy or sandy substrates³, usually 0.5-5 m deep³ and with large areas of open water¹. Suitable habitats include small pools or lakes, backwaters of slow-flowing rivers and artificial waterbodies (e.g. reservoirs, fish-ponds, gravel pits and ornamental lakes)¹. In Australia the species also utilises swamps, reservoirs, lagoons, salt-fields, estuaries and bays⁴, and in tropical Africa and New Zealand it may breed on montane, subalpine and alpine lakes up to 3,000 m¹. Non-breeding The species overwinters on large exposed ice-free² lakes and reservoirs^{1, 3}, moving to sheltered coastal inshore waters³ less than 10 m deep² such as brackish estuaries^{1, 3}, deltas, tidal channels and tidal lagoons³ during cold spells². In addition it frequents large saline lakes in Australia⁴. Diet Its diet consists predominantly of large fish as well as insects, crustaceans (e.g. crayfish, shrimps) and molluscs, occasionally also adult and larval amphibians¹. The species's invertebrate consumption is highest during the breeding season¹. Breeding site The nest is a platform of aquatic plant matter either floating on water and anchored to emergent vegetation or built from the lake bottom in shallow water¹. Typical nest sites include reedbeds or flooded thickets as well as more open sites such as floating mats of water-weed or kelp fronds².

Threats The species suffered declines in the nineteenth century as a result of hunting for the plume trade (this is no longer a threat)¹. The species was also hunted in the past for food in New Zealand, a threat that although past is still limiting to the New Zealand population when combined with the modern threats of low food availability, modification of lakes for recreational purposes¹, hydroelectric development and the introduction of competitors (e.g. trout) and predators (e.g. weasels, cats and rats)². The species is commonly drowned accidentally in monofilament gill-nets (fishing nets)^{1, 2} with mesh sizes greater than 5 cm⁷. It may also be threatened by future coastal oil spills⁸, and is susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus⁵. Utilisation The species is hunted for commercial (food) and recreational purposes in Iran⁶.

References 1. del Hoyo et al. (1992). 2. Fjeldsa (2004). 3. Snow and Perrins (1998). 4. Marchant and Higgins (1990). 5. Melville and Shortridge (2006). 6. Balmaki and Barati (2006). 7. Quan et al. (2002). 8. Gorski et al. (1977).

Further web sources of information

Detailed species account from Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status (BirdLife International 2004)

Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Rob Calvert (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Lucy Malpas (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Podiceps cristatus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums