NECK ED GREBE. Fr. Gri.be jou-gris ; Ger. Rothalsiger Steissfuss ; All. Svasso dal collo rosso ; Swett: C;rastrupig Dopping.
? summer. Crown and hind neck black, on each side of occiput a short tuft ; upper parts black with brown edges ; foreneck and chest chestnut ; secondaries white ; lores black, line below eye white ; throat lavender grey, remainder under parts white. In winter : upper parts and foreneck brown ; beneath white ; lores brown and no white line below eye. Bill black, yellow at base above and below. Legs and feet black, lobes of toes above huffish, below black. Iris red. Wing 155-185. Tarsus 53-56. Bill 35-45.
Breeds.—Sweden north to 65°, S. Finland, N. Russia to Kola Peninsula and Archangel, and south through Europe to Caucasus, Black Sea and Dobrudscha in the east, in the west to Denmark, Holland and Germany and through Austria and Hungary to Danube ; also in W. Siberia. Migratory ; occurs in winter in Mediterranean and N. Africa (Egypt to Morocco) ; also British Isles, Belgium and France. Rare visitor to Norway ; has occurred Iceland and Spitzbergen.
The East Asiatic and American race "P. griseigena Reinhardt (a larger bird, wing 185-208, bill 46-54) has occurred once in Iceland.
Podiceps auritus (L.). SCLAVONIAN GREBE. Fr. Grebe cornu ; Ger. Ohrensteissfuss ; Ilu1. Svasso cornuto ; Svarthake-Dopping.
d ? summer. Above dark brown ; crown, throat and tippet black ; lores red brown ; from eye to nape a chestnut band, hinder feathers of which are prolonged into tufts ; foreneck chestnut ; beneath white, flanks chestnut ; secondaries white. Bill straight, black, tip and base above bluish, base below red.
Legs and feet dull greyish black. Iris red. Wing 135-15o. Tarsus 44-5o. Bill 2 1-24. In winter : crown down to eye, hind neck and upper parts dark brown tinged greenish ; underparts white, foreneck pale grey, a nearly complete collar white.
Preeds.—Norway north to Finmark, Sweden, Russia north to 65', cast to Urals and Orenburg and south to about 50° N. ; Baltic Provinces, Denmark, Iceland (abundant), Faroes (few), N. Scotland (very local); also widely in Asia and N. America.
Migratory ; occurs in winter and on passage in Europe south to Mediterranean ; has occurred Azores ; in Asia ranges south to N., and in America to S. California and Florida.
Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis Brehm. BLACK-NECKED GREBE. Ger. Schwarzhals Steissfuss ; Ital. Svasso piccolo ; Swed. Svarthalsad-Dopping.
? summer. Head, neck and upper parts black ; beneath white, flanks chestnut ; behind eye a tuft of cinnamon feathers ; secondaries and inner webs of inner primaries white. Bill slightly upturned, black, reddish at base. Legs and feet outer side black, inner side pale greenish blue. Iris red with narrow white inner ring. In winter : crown, face, ear coverts, neck and upper parts brown. Wing 120-13o. Tarsus 42-45. Bill 19-24.
Breeds.—Livonia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Rumania, Sicily, Spain, Morocco, N. Algeria, Russia south from about 55° N. ; and widely through Asia and Africa. Migratory ; occurs in winter in British Isles (where a few pairs have bred), and generally throughout S. Europe and S. Asia ; rare visitor to Canaries, Madeira, and Azores.
Podiceps fluviatilis fluviatilis (Tunstall). LITTLE GREBE. Fr. Castagneux ; Ger. Zwergsteissfuss ; Ital. Tuffetto ; Swed. Sma-Dopping.
? summer. Above brownish black, green tinged, especially on crown ; beneath white mottled with brown, throat dark brown, sides of head, ear coverts and foreneck chestnut. In winter : above brown, beneath white, foreneck and flanks pale reddish brown. Bill black, yellowish at base. Legs and feet dull greenish grey. Iris red brown. Wing 97-105. Tarsus 34-38. Bill 18-22.
Breeds.—British Isles ; Continental Europe from S. Sweden, Livonia and Courland south to Mediterranean ; in Russia from about 6o° N. south to Crimea and Astrakhan ; also Sicily, Sardinia and N.W. Africa, and in S.W. Asia. Partly migratory ; does not appear to go farther south than N. Africa.