the lowland tiny greenbul ( phyllastrephus debilis ) , is a species of songbird in the bulbul family , pycnonotidae .

it is found in eastern africa .

its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland .

lowland tiny greenbul

lowland tiny greenbul <EOT> montane tiny greenbul is split from { lowland ] tiny greenbul [ fuchs et al . 2011a ]

lowland tiny greenbul ( phyllastrephus debilis ) is a species of bird in the pycnonotidae family .

diversification across an altitudinal gradient in the tiny greenbul ( phyllastrephus debilis ) from the eastern arc mountains of africa .

diversification across an altitudinal gradient in the tiny greenbul ( phyllastrephus debilis ) from the eastern arc mountains of africa . - pubmed - ncbi

now considered to be a plumage variant of icterine greenbul ( collinson et al . 2017 )

fuchs j , fjeldså j , bowie rck . 2011 . diversification across an altitudinal gradient in the tiny greenbul ( phyllastrephus debilis ) from the eastern arc mountains of africa . bmc evol biol , 11 : 117 .

lowland evergreen forest , forest - woodland mosaic , thick coastal scrub , gallery forest ; sometimes . . .

the clear altitudinal segregation in morphology found within the tiny greenbul is the result of secondary contact of two highly differentiated lineages rather than disruptive selection in plumage pattern across an altitudinal gradient . based on our results , we recommend albigula be elevated to species rank .

fishpool , l . , tobias , j . & kirwan , g . m . ( 2018 ) . lowland tiny greenbul ( phyllastrephus debilis ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

marks bd . ? 2010 . are lowland rainforests really evolutionary museums ? phylogeography of the green hylia ( hylia prasina ) in the afrotropics . mol phylogen evol , 55 : 178–184 .

experiences with species i had seen this small greenbul in mozambique on two previous occasions , but 2011 was the first time i got him in the lens . other names : -

we found significant biometric differences between the lowland ( rabai ) and montane ( albigula ) populations in tanzania . the differences in shape are coupled with discrete differences in the coloration of the underparts . using multi - locus data gathered from 124 individuals , we show that lowland and montane birds form two distinct genetic lineages . the divergence between the two forms occurred between 2 . 4 and 3 . 1 myrs ago . our coalescent analyses suggest that limited gene flow , mostly from the subspecies rabai to albigula , is taking place at three mid - altitude localities , where lowland and montane rainforest directly abut . the extent of this introgression appears to be limited and is likely a consequence of the recent expansion of rabai further inland .

sheldon fh , oliveros ch , taylor ss , mckay b , lim hc , rahman ma , mays h , moyle rg . 2012 . molecular phylogeny and insular biogeography of the lowland tailorbirds of southeast asia ( cisticolidae : orthotomus ) . mol phylogenet evol , 65 : 54–63 .

assignment of individuals to genetic cluster using the structure algorithm for k = 2 ( mean loglikelihood across three runs , - ln = 595 . 9 ) . the red color corresponds to the individuals sampled in the nguru and usambara mts ( albigula ) . green corresponds to individuals sampled in the tanzanian lowland ( rabai ) and mozambique / zimbabwe ( debilis ) . evidence for admixture involves five individuals sampled in the nguru mts , usambara mts and on mt kanga .

html public " - / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en " " urltoken "

we appreciate the many constructive comments received , and we will continue to revisit problematic english names on a case by case basis . we also refine and adjust english names as required by changes of species taxonomy .

english name updates – ioc version 2 . 11 ( jan 2 , 2012 )

crested hawk - eagle ( used for n . limnaetus , if split ) was incorrectly applied to n . cirrhatus sensu lato , when lumped in version 2 . 0 . correct to changeable hawk - eagle as used by other primary world lists . thanks to frank lambert for advising us of this error

adopt name established in other major lists . ioc alone in dropping the modifier , the bird’s most distinguishing feature .

shorter name without “pied” adopted for thai checklist ( p round comm ) . spot - breasted woodpecker is preoccupied by colaptes punctigula

english name updates – ioc version 2 . 10 ( oct 18 , 2011 )

english name updates – ioc version 2 . 9 ( july 10 , 2011 )

we acknowledge widespread opposition to ioc 1 . 0 proposal of common pigeon to avoid conflict with petrophassa ” rock pigeons” ; accept bou choice of classic rock dove for this species native to british isles . feral pigeon is available for populations introduced worldwide .

english name updates – ioc version 2 . 8 ( mar 31 , 2011 )

follows split of c . pampa ; english names follow ridgway , sibley & monroe 1993 , aou 1998

english nam e updates – ioc version 2 . 7 ( dec 29 , 2010 )

english name updates – ioc version 2 . 6 ( oct 23 , 2010 )

only one species and the simpler name conforms to other leading works ( hbw , inskipp ) .

shrike - babblers are not babblers , but vireo relatives ; hence lower case .

english name updates – ioc version 2 . 5 ( july 4 , 2010 )

correct name for amboinensis ; brown cuckoo - dove is used for m . phasianella

bamboo flatbill of hilty ( 2003 ) is better name , but “large - headed” prevails .

ioc _ names _ file _ plus - 8 . 2g : 8 . 2

is a recently described species ( woxvold et al . 2009 ) . it is sister to

from " black - crested bulbul " to " black - capped bulbul , with split of multiple species . ( rasmussen & anderton 2005 , fishpool & tobias 2005 )

the rare blue - wattled bulbul may be a hybrid ( williams 2002 ) , but more evidence needed ( dickinson and dekker 2002 ) .

is in prevailing usage . based on " turdoïde de gourdin " of homblon & jacquinot , 1844 referenced in gray , 1847 . see mayr & greenway , 1960 ( peters checklist , ix )

nigeria to s sudan , w kenya . s drcongo , nw zambia and n angola

rwenzori mts , itombwe and mt . kabobo ( e drcongo ) , w uganda , w rwanda and n burundi

based on genetic studies . but genetic divergence may support species status . manawatthana et al . 2017

as a junior synonym . fishpool & tobias , 2005 . the population from sabah is vocally and genetically distinct and likely represents an unnamed taxon . the subspecies epithet

( type speciemen from e kalimantan ) has been erroneously applied to this population . eaton et al 2016 , rheindt in . litt . ( see manawatthana et al . 2017 ) .

kuroda , 1922 as a synonym . permanently invalid . dickinson & christidis , 2014 .

dalupiri , calayan and fuga is . ( n of luzon in n philippines )

is a member of the afrotropical clade of bulbuls ( pycnonotidae ( johansson et al . 2008 , zuccon & ericson 2010 )

barrera et al . 2010 , carantón - ayala and certuche - cubillos 2010 , cadena & stiles 2010 . sacc 479

c . aeruginosus ( currently treated as a ssp of c . rubiginosus ) is sister to c . auricularis ; rubiginosus is sister to c . atricollis ( moore et al 2010 )

xingu scale - backed antbird , including subspecies vidua and nigrigula is split from scale - backed antbird ( isler and whitney 2011 ) ; sacc proposal badly needed . shorter english name preferred ? ?

king 1997 ; drovetski et al 2004 ; alstrom et al 2011 , obc ; cf dickinson 2003 , hbw 11 w comments .

treat this virtually unknown holdover from sibley & monroe as ssp of black - eared ground thrush g . cameronensis as do other major lists ( p gregory comm ) .

until recently considered conspecific with p . albigula ( which see ) . race rabai has grey vs green crown ( recent published illustration # r misses this point ) and approaches nominate to within 200 km ( based on published map # r ) . study of voices of these two taxa and p . albigula needed . two subspecies recognized .

e . j . o . hartert & van someren , 1921 – c & s coastal kenya and ne coastal tanzania ( s to r rufiji ) .

( w . l . sclater , 1899 ) – se tanzania , s mozambique and extreme e zimbabwe ( haroni–rusitu ) .

12·8–13·8 cm ; male 13·3–17 g , female 12·5–14·9 g ( nominate ) , male 13·5–17 g , female , 11·6–15 g . . .

insectivorous . usually seen in pairs or in small parties of up to c . 10 individuals , sometimes singly ; often joins mixed - species parties . . . .

nesting recorded in dec and may ; birds in breeding condition in oct–may in coastal tanzania and oct–jan in zimbabwe . monogamous . . .

not globally threatened ( least concern ) . generally common ; apparent declines in n & s parts of range , implying that it is less common than it used to be in parts of kenya . . .

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mixed flock , observed moving through tangled undergrowth for several minutes . recording amplified . iphone 5s .

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this species has a very 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 ) . despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing , the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to 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 .

recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : phyllastrephus debilis . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .

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museum of vertebrate zoology and department of integrative biology , 3101 valley life science building , university of california , berkeley , ca 94720 - 3160 , usa . jeromefuchs @ urltoken

distribution of phyllastrephus debilis ; dots represent our sampling localities ( blue : albigula ; green , rabai ; red , debilis ) . the painting depicts the typical plumage of p . d . albigula and p . d . rabai / debilis , respectively .

50 % majority consensus rule tree obtained from the bayesian analyses of nd2 . values close to nodes represent bootstrap values ( above node ; if > 75 % ) and bayesian posterior probabilities ( below node ; if > 0 . 95 ) . mean genetic distances among the primary groups are indicated . the haplotype networks were constructed using the statistical parsimony algorithm implemented in tcs .

multi - locus network obtained using standardized genetic distances of the three nuclear loci . only individuals that could be sequenced and phased with a posterior probability greater than 0 . 75 for all three loci ( n = 80 ) are included .

biplot of the first two components of the bioclimatic variables extracted from our sampling locality co - ordinates . note the rather disparate environmental conditions for the albigula sampling points . all sites where gene flow was recorded ( e . g . mt . kanga ) are characterized by reduced seasonality ( variable 4 ) .

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this article is part of project aves , a all birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each bird , including made - up species .

this article is part of project passeriformes , a all birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each passerine , including made - up species .

this article is part of project pycnonotidae , a all birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each bulbul , including made - up species .

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the western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) is a species in the grebe family of water birds .

folk names include " dabchick " , " swan grebe " and " swan-necked grebe " .

western grebe fossils from the late pleistocene of sw north america were described as a distinct species , but later ranked as a paleosubspecies aechmophorus occidentalis lucasi .

more recent study found them to fall within the variation now known to exist in today 's birds .

western grebe

western grebe <EOT> atitlan grebe or giant grebe podilymbus gigas . endemic to lake atitlan , guatemala .

subspecies and range : the western grebe has two subspecies which differ only in size .

folk names for this bird include dabchick , swan grebe , and swan - necked grebe .

figure 1 . distribution of the western and clark ' s grebe , whose ranges overlap .

the western grebe is the largest north american member of the grebe family . other names for this species include “swan grebe” , “dabchick” and “swan - necked grebe” . this species has been known to interbreed with the clark’s grebe , which looks much like and shares the same habitat as the western grebe . nests are built on large inland lakes and coastal marshes of western north america . during winter months , northern populations will migrate to the western coastal ocean areas . typical diets of this bird consist of carp , herring , mollusks , crabs and salamanders . the conservation rating for the western grebe is least concern .

the western grebe was first described in 1858 by sir william lawrence , an english surgeon and biologist .

hill w . l . , m . browne , and c . hardenbergh . 1995 . composition of eared grebe western grebe eggs . jstor biological sciences collection

the western grebe is one of the two most piscivorous species with the great crested grebe . both have elongated body , slender neck and long thin bill .

the oldest recorded western grebe was a female and at least 11 years old when she was found in california .

davis , d . g . 1961 . western grebe colonies in northern colorado . condor 63 : 264 - 265 .

eichhorst ba ( 1994 ) an analysis of western grebe banding and recovery data . north american bird bander 17 : 108–115 .

western grebe aechmophorus occidentalis - a . o . occidentalis . british columubia to lake winnipeg and south to southern california . - a . o . clarkii . western usa and mexican plateau .

the western grebe lives on fresh water lakes and marshes which have large areas of open water and vegetation around it ( storer & nuechterlein 1992 ) .

western grebes are large and slender with long necks and long , thin bills . plumage is dark gray above and white below , with a clear color division . the top of the face is black , and the bottom white . the black extends below the eye in the western grebe . ( in the closely related and similar - appearing clark ' s grebe , the black ends above the eye . ) the bill of the western grebe is yellowish to dull olive .

red - necked grebe or holböll’s grebe podiceps grisegena . kornwerderzand , the netherlands culmen : 36 . 0 mm ; total : 84 . 5 mm , unsexed adult

the artwork shown to the left is from the 1925 grebe radio advertising brochure .

in north america , there are eight species of grebes in four genera ( including the extinct atitlan grebe ) . members of this family include the long and slender - necked western and clark’s grebes , and the plump pied - billed grebe .

in all seasons and habitats , the primary food of western grebes is fish .

eastern and western mexican subspecies differ slightly in plumage and might be reliably identifiable .

range / habitat : the western grebe is commonly found from canada through california , and sometimes in mexico . it usually occurs in the great plains and western states , but occasionally can be found in the eastern half of the united states . it usually stays on prairie lakes in british columbia and california , and sometimes as far down as mexico . in the winter the western grebe lives on the pacific coast .

erickson ma ( 2010 ) persistence and abundance of the western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) in alberta . msc . thesis , university of alberta , edmonton , alberta .

western grebes are highly gregarious at all seasons , nesting in colonies and wintering in flocks . their thin , reedy calls are characteristic sounds of western marshes in summer .

bill : the dagger - like bill is one of the best distinguishing characteristics of these similar birds . the clark ' s grebe has a bright yellow or bold orange - yellow bill , while the western grebe ' s bill is much darker and has a strong olive - green or gray tinge . because of its coloration , a western grebe ' s bill may appear narrower or slightly upturned , especially in dim light .

the grebe qsl card . the card design did change somewhat from time to time .

click the range map to learn more about the distribution of western grebes in washington .

a bird ( black mask ) swimming close to a pair of clark ' s grebe .

short - winged grebe rollandia micopterum . restricted to some lakes in peruvian and bolivian andes .

the western grebe feeds mainly on fish , but will also eat salamanders , crustaceans , plychaete worms , and insects . they tend to be opportunists ( storer and nuechterlein 1992 ) .

the western form of solitary sa - dpiper ( sandpiper ) is misspelled in the list .

t . r . ruficollis . europe , north - western africa , turkey and israel .

robbins , c . , b . bruun , h . zim . 1996 . " western grebe aechmophorus occidentalis " ( on - line ) . accessed october 23 , 2000 at urltoken .

bent ac ( 1919 ) western grebe . in : bent ac , editor . life histories of north american diving birds . dover publications inc , new york , new york . 1–9 .

delacour ' s little grebe or aloatra dabchick tachybaptus rufolavatus . endemic to lake aloatra , madagascar .

photo above : the grebe cr - 5 , a single tube receiver from 1922 . many accessories could be purchased from grebe to improve the performance of smaller receivers like the cr - 5 .

grebe advertising spared no expense to convey their message that grebe used the best parts in the best circuits with the highest quality construction and that naturally resulted in the best performing radio equipment available . the 1925 grebe radio brochure is a very high quality book that not only shows the various models of the synchrophase that were available in 1925 but also contains several photos of earlier grebe radios .

a large , elegant , black - and - white grebe , the western grebe breeds in lakes and ponds across the american west and winters primarily off the pacific coast . the very similar clark ' s grebe was long thought to be the same species . both species have a dramatic , choreographed courtship display , in which the birds rush across the water with their long necks extended .

the elegant western grebe is unlikely to be confused with any species other than its close relative , the clark ' s grebe . in general , western grebe has a paler greenish - yellow bill ( orange in clark ' s ) , and darker face , flanks , and neck sides . in breeding plumage , western ' s face is blacker than clark ' s , usually with blackish extending around the eyes to the base of the bill . bill color may be the single best character for separating the two during all seasons . the following is a link to this photographer ' s website : urltoken .

burger ae ( 1997 ) status of the western grebe in british columbia . wildlife working report no . wr–87 . british columbia ministry of environment , lands and parks , wildlife branch , victoria , bc .

the western subspecies is widespread in north america ; eastern ( asian ) has been recorded at least once in western alaska . it differs in size and breeding plumage , and is split by several authorities .

eastern and western forms are usually distinguishable by tail pattern , and more study might reveal other differences .

the western grebe is a large and conspicuous waterbird . adapted for an aquatic lifestyle , with lobed feet set well back on a streamlined body , western grebes are powerful swimmers but awkward on land . their white throat , breast and belly contrast with the black and grey plumage of their crown , neck , back and wings . they have bright red eyes and a long , pointed yellowish - green bill . the western grebe has been suggested as a bioindicator for wetland ecosystems . ( updated 2017 / 08 / 10 )

description : the western grebe is the largest of the north american grebes . sexes are similar in that they both have a long , slender neck and bill and their feet are far back of the body .

robison km , weems re , anderson dw , henkel la , brickey a ( 2008 ) western & clark’s grebe conservation and management in california . annual report to the american trader trustee council , february 2008 .

yanch j ( 2006 ) status of the western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) in alberta . wildlife status report no . 60 . alberta sustainable resource development & alberta conservation association . edmonton , alberta , canada .

is a carnivore . it mostly eats fish , but also eats insects , mollusks , and crustaceans . the western grebe is an aggressive hunter . it dives under the water and spears fish with its long bill .

storer rw , nuechterlein gl ( 1992 ) western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) . in : poole a , editor . the birds of north america online . ithaca , cornell lab of ornithology . available : urltoken .

with this upgrade , the grebe mu - 1 continued in production built to this configuration until mid - 1927 .

4 . radio age , don patterson - multi - part article on a . h grebe from the 1980s .

adult males of siberian subspecies ( recorded a few times in western alaska ) are safely distinguishable from american subspecies .

ebird and clements suggest the name woodhouse’s western scrub - jay for the interior groups based on the latin trinomial .

two western grebes engage in a courtship dance called " rushing , " in which the birds walk on water .

shown to the left is the cover which has " grebe " and " radio " actually embossed in the heavy paper cover . the photo to the right is of grebe ' s experimental station 2xe which shows the cr - 6 and cr - 7 receivers along with a grebe - built 200 watt transmitter that is powered by batteries and the motor - generator set under the table . the horn speaker shown is a western electric 10 - d horn .

western grebes famously run on water , but few ornithologists have seen them using their aquatic feet to scamper across land .

subtle differences in song between eastern and western populations of this species are probably not reliable enough to allow confident identification .

because the western and clark ' s grebes were considered color phases of one species—the western grebe—from 1886 until 1985 , the literature on them was combined under that name . only rarely was mention made of the “phase” of the birds studied . because of this , and because of the great similarity between the two species in morphology and behavior , this account contains references that may pertain to both species . first , under western grebe , is given the information known to apply to that species alone , followed by information common to both species , and that for which the “phase” was not mentioned . the clark ' s grebe account consists of information known to apply to that species and to known differences between the two .

face : both species have a white face with a prominent black cap , but on clark ' s grebes the red eye is surrounded by white while on western grebes the red eye is surrounded by black or dark gray . this can make it seem as though the western grebe has larger eyes , while the white plumage makes the eyes of clark ' s grebes seem more colorful . in winter , however , the gray on western grebes can become much lighter , so careful observation is necessary .

the western grebe is a conspicuous water bird of western north america , from southern canada to the mexican plateau . they are perhaps best known for their elaborate and energetic courtship rituals , now well - studied . these courtship ceremonies - - in which these birds perform a series of displays in ritualized , apparently mechanical , sequences - - are among the most complex known in birds .

great crested grebe podiceps cristatus . the netherlands culmen : 48 . 1 mm ; total : 98 . 5 mm , adult male

horned grebe podiceps auritus kornwerderzand . the netherlands culmen : 22 . 0 mm ; total : 61 . 0 mm , unsexed adult

grebe actually supplied a printed post card qsl that was ready to fill out and send off to received broadcast stations . hopefully , the card would impress the station to the point that they would reciprocate . grebe also used the card for advertising purposes , showing a synchrophase and " doctor mu " on one side and wahg and wboq grebe ' s bc stations on the other side .

diet : as a carnivore , it mostly eats fish , but also gleans the water ' s surface for insects , mollusks , and crustaceans . the western grebe is an aggressive hunter . it dives under the water and spears fish with its long bill .

western ( left ) and clark ' s ( right ) grebes can be hard to tell apart . photo © mike baird ;

by understanding the differences between the two species , however , birders can learn to recognize both clark ' s and western grebes .

some western birds have obvious white crests in breeding plumage and may be identifiable , but many have black crests like eastern birds .

the head , neck , and body are a blackish brown color from above , and white from below . the western grebe has a dull yellow or olive - colored bill and red eyes surrounded by dark coloration . in flight a white wing stripe is exposed .

black - necked grebe podiceps nigricollis . location unknown culmen : 22 . 7 mm ; total : 59 . 3 mm , unsexed adult

it is a migratory bird found on temperate coastal , freshwater lakes . during the breeding season it lives on large lakes with dense areas of emergent vegetation or thick mats of floating aquatic plants . in migration , the western grebe is found on large , deep lakes .

eastern and western subspecies differ only on average in overall plumage color , and are too variable to allow identification outside their normal range .

western mexican and eastern mexican populations differ only in average size ( especially bill size ) and are not safely identified in the field .

the grebes or podicipedidae ( pronounced po - dih - seh - pih - peh - dih - dee ) include twenty - one species in six genera found on all continents except antarctica including two extinct species , the aloatra grebe of madagascar and the atitlan grebe of guatemala .

grebe produced a series of ham receivers designated with a " cr " prefix followed by a number to identify the model . the cr receivers were very popular with the hams and , if a commercially built receiver is seen in a vintage photograph of an old ham station , it will more than likely be a grebe " cr " receiver . the amateur business was large enough that , by 1920 , grebe had a fairly large building for radio manufacturing . the a . h . grebe & co . , inc . was incorporated in january , 1920 .

the western grebe is 55 to 77 cm long and 800 to 1800 grams . it is black and white with a narrow body , long neck , and long , pointed yellowish green bill . the bright red eyes of the western grebe are surrounded by black . the female is smaller and the bill on the female is much thinner and shorter ( storer and nuechterlein 1992 ) . for a comprehensive review of the conservation status , habitat use , and ecology of this and other montana bird species , please see marks et al . 2016 , birds of montana .

western grebes are highly gregarious in all seasons , wintering in large flocks and nesting in colonies . the neck structure of western grebes allows them to thrust their beaks forward , like spears , a motion they use to catch prey . as a family , grebes are known for their elaborate courtship displays . western grebes and the closely related clark ' s grebes perform the most spectacular displays of the family . the displays of western and clark ' s grebes are almost identical ; the only apparent difference is that one of many calls differs in the number of notes .

eastern and western populations differ substantially and consistently in song and singing behavior , and differ slightly in plumage and have been proposed for species status . in addition , pacific birds differ at least in overall color from other western birds , and a distinctively gray subspecies occurs in coastal southeast us .

subspecies townsendi of western alaska averages larger and whiter than widespread nivalis , but differences are probably not sufficient to allow identification , and intergrades occur .

storer , r . w . and g . l . nuechterlein . 1992 . western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) and clarke ' s grebe ( a . clarkii ) . in : a . poole , p . stettenheim , and f . gill , ( eds . ) , the birds of north america , no . 26 . philadelphia : the academy of natural sciences ; washington d . c . : the american ornithologists union 24 pp .

if you think dating is hard , be glad you ' re not a grebe . these north american waterbirds have high standards when it comes to attracting and keeping a mate : if either a male or female grebe can ' t " walk " on water , they ' re out of luck .

2 . change to ux - 112 audio output tube . part of changes 3 and 4 . shown on grebe schematic dated 8 - 16 - 26

5 . radio manufacturers of the 1920s , vol . 2 , alan douglas - history on a . h . grebe & co . , inc .

laporte , nicholas , robert w . storer and gary l . nuechterlein . 2013 . western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) , version 2 . 0 . in the birds of north america ( p . g . rodewald , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , new york , usa .

the western grebe is migratory and winters down pacific coast . they start to move in september towards saltwater locations . they migrate by night over land , and partially by day along the coast where they often swim . the mexican populations appear fairly sedentary , with only local movements according to the season .

two subspecies are probably reliably identified by bill and leg color in breeding plumage but not at other times . asian a rare visitor to western alaska .

siberian form recorded once in western aleutians . more study is needed on visual id criteria , but dna barcode study shows substantial difference from north american .

clowater js ( 1998 ) distribution and foraging behavior of wintering western grebes . m . sc . thesis , simon fraser university , burnaby , bc .

aechmophorus grebes breed in colonies at the vegetated edge of larger lakes and freshwater marshes . kushlan et al . [ 28 ] estimated the north american population size of western grebes at more than 110 , 000 breeders , and clark’s grebes at 10 , 000–20 , 000 . the breeding range of western grebes includes most of southwest canada and the western united states , while clark’s grebes are more restricted to the southwestern states [ 27 ] . after breeding , western grebes migrate primarily to the pacific coast and overwinter from southern alaska to mexico with lower numbers reported at inland sites from southern british columbia to west texas . wintering clark’s grebes are restricted to the southern portion of the western grebe winter range and are rare north of about 42° latitude ( this study ) . both species specialize on fish prey ( > 81 % of diet ) but are opportunistic and utilize other prey depending on availability [ 27 ] .

protection / threats / status : the western grebe is threatened by oil spills and insecticides accumulated in their food , involving reduced breeding success . another threat is the reduction of the habitat , with increasing human developments . however , populations are currently large and stable , and this species is not globally threatened .

range : both birds share the same range and habitats in western north america , but clark ' s grebes are much rarer and have a smaller range spread , particularly to the north and east . western grebes are more common and can be found further north and east more regularly , especially in summer .

the largest grebe . only one species , although there is some discussion about the status of the two subspecies . they may appear to be true species .

2 . grebe radio 1925 advertising brochure - covers early versions of the mu - 1 and mu - 2 . multi - color and high - quality photos and artwork . this brochure states that the escutcheons are " dull 24k gold covered . " information on wahg and many earlier grebe cr - series models .

western grebes and their former conspecifics , clark ' s grebe , are unique among grebes in possessing a mechanism in the neck that permits them to thrust forward the head like a spear . such a mechanism is well known in herons and anhingas , but its details remain to be worked out in these grebes .

kraft , s . k . 1983 . western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) . pp . 1 - 12 in j . a . armbruster , ed . , impacts of coal surface mining on 25 migratory bird species of high federal interest . usdi fish and wildlife service fws / obs - 83 / 85 .

eastern and western populations are quite different in female plumage , and several flight call variations are also known . more study is needed to sort out differences .

without a doubt , the most often seen grebe radio produced is the synchrophase mu - 1 . after all , over 150 , 000 of them were built between mid - 1924 and mid - 1927 . it is a good example to represent grebe , a company that could stay competitive throughout the twenties when radios were being produced and sold in incredible quantities by hundreds and hundreds of manufacturers . great performance and great looks , . . . that ' s the grebe synchrophase .

eurasian subspecies known as goosander ( rare but regular in western alaska ) is safely distinguishable from american subspecies by wing pattern and probably by bill and head shape .

two subspecies groups ( western and texas ) differ slightly in overall color , tail pattern , and size , but more study is needed to clarify potential differences .

neuchterlein gl ( 1975 ) nesting ecology of western grebes on the delta marsh , manitoba . msc . thesis . colorado state university , fort collins , colorado .

- in 1927 , the mu - 1 was rapidly becoming obsolete . many " high quality " neutrodynes were on the market that performed as well as , if not better than , the grebe mu - 1 . grebe did introduce a single dial version but it wasn ' t produced in any quantity . by late 1927 , ac power operation was the latest offering from the manufacturers . grebe responded with the synchrophase ac - six , a thoroughly different looking radio receiver than the old mu - 1 . for those in areas without ac power , grebe offered the similar - looking synchrophase seven battery operated receiver . later , for a nominal sum of $ 55 , the factory would convert a seven to ac operation . in the end , screen - grid tubes sets and eventually a few superheterodynes were produced before grebe went bankrupt , a victim of the great depression . grebe had every intention of reforming the company but he died , at age 40 , from complications following surgery .

plumage : while clark ' s and western grebes are almost identical in plumage , clark ' s grebes are lighter overall when seen in good light , and their flanks are particularly lighter and may show as light gray or whitish . western grebes are darker overall and can appear dark gray or black , with much darker flanks .

except for the least grebe of southern texas and tropical wetlands further south , all grebes migrate to bays , large lakes , and other coastal habitats in north america .

reproduction of this species : the laying occurs between may and july in usa and between may and october in mexico . the western grebe breeds sometimes in large colonies of hundreds or thousands of nests , and sometimes mixed with clark grebe ( aechmophorus clarkii ) . but it may occasionally breed solitary too . both sexes build a floating nest , a fairly solid mound of plant matter , floating or resting on the bottom . the nest is usually anchored to the emergent vegetation in shallow water in marshes .

hand , r . l . 1969 . a distributional checklist of the birds of western montana . unpublished . available at mansfield library , university of montana , missoula .

two subspecies groups differ in plumage and dna . all or nearly all are readily identifiable . eurasian group a rare visitor to western alaska and very rarely farther south .

humple d ( 2009 ) genetic structure and demographic impacts of oil spills in western and clark’s grebes . m . sc . thesis , sonoma state university , california .

western grebe : breeds from british columbia , saskatchewan , and manitoba south to california and southwestern texas . winters along the pacific coast from southeastern alaska to california , on the gulf coast of louisiana and texas . casual to eastern u . s . preferred habitats include large lakes with reeds or rushes , shallow coastal bays , and estuaries .

populations of western grebe may be declining . the north american waterbird conservation plan estimates more than 110 , 000 breeding birds in north america , rates the species a 12 out of 20 on the continental concern score , and lists it as a species of moderate concern . western grebe is not on the 2014 state of the birds watch list . around 1900 , western grebes were extensively hunted for their silky white breast and belly feathers , which were used in clothing and hats . this aquatic species is also sensitive to pesticides , to other causes of poor water quality , and entanglement in fishing line . western grebes nest in colonies and can be flushed by boaters that approach too closely , leaving their nests vulnerable to gulls and other predators . on their coastal wintering grounds they are vulnerable to oil spills and are caught in gill nets . according to natureserve , their status is of particular concern near the edges of their range , in kansas , oklahoma , wisconsin , and british columbia , canada . back to top

11 . it ' s likely that the mu - 2 was not produced after mid - 1926 since it isn ' t mentioned in the grebe synchrophase manual copyrighted 1926 .

eastern and western ( and perhaps pacific ) forms differ slightly in plumage and possibly voice . these are probably not safely identified in the field but more study is warranted .

a range - wide analysis of western grebe abundance is complicated by the relatively recent systematic designation of this species from its congener , the clark’s grebe ( aechmophorus clarkii , [ 27 ] ) . the two species were considered to be color phases of a single species prior to 1985 and thus both recorded as western grebes on counts . most grebes are identified to species on counts conducted after 1985 but because they are similar in appearance , positive identification is not always possible in large groups or at great distance . as a result , 13 . 9 % of surveys after 1985 report ‘ aechmophorus spp’ as a component of the total number of grebes recorded . in this case , we used the ratio of all western and clark’s grebes identified on that count to estimate the fraction of aechmophorus count attributed to each species . clark’s grebes are rare compared to western grebes and only regularly detected in the southern portion of the aechmophorus winter range . thereore , our main analysis estimated trends for aechmophorus spp . over the entire range under the assumption that large trends would necessarily be dominated by changes in the number of western grebes . we also conducted separate analyses for clark’s grebes after 1985 to test for a potential influence on overall trends .

the nest is most often built on floating vegetation hidden among emergent plants ; western grebes occasionally nest in the open and rarely on land . both sexes build the nest using material brought from underwater , found floating on the surface , or growing near the nest . western grebes often nest in colonies , with hundreds or even thousands on one lake .

storer , r . w . , and g . l . nuechterlein . 1992 . western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) . species account number 026a . the birds of north america online ( a . poole , ed . ) . ithaca , ny : cornell laboratory of ornithology ; retrieved 3 / 25 / 2008 from the birds of north america online database

like many grebes , the western grebe flies little and is more often seen in its aquatic environment than in the air . however , this species is able to migrate and to fly . it needs to run along the water surface while beating quickly its wings in order to take off . it has to keep beating the wings quickly during the flight too . it can fly fast and over long distances during the migrations , performing direct flight and rapid wingbeats . the western grebes often form major concentrations during migrations and in winter .

grebe marketed some of their cr receivers as broadcast receivers since they did tune around where the bc stations were transmitting . the cr - 9 was the most popular early grebe cr receiver since it included a two - stage audio amplifier section in addition to the regenerative detector . additionally , grebe later offered the cr - 12 and the cr - 14 as broadcast receivers but they still retained the round black dials and the same circuit of the earlier cr receivers , that is , regenerative detectors with a couple of stages of audio amplification .

the western grebe adult has dark grey to blackish upperparts . sides and flanks are paler grey . the underparts are white . the tail is very short . secondaries and bases of primaries are pale grey to white , often conspicuous in flight . the black cap ( through eye - level ) and hindneck contrast strongly with the white face , neck sides and foreneck .

the western grebe , like other grebes , spends almost all its time in water and is very awkward when on land . the legs are so far back on the body that walking is very difficult . western grebes are adept swimmers and divers . courtship happens entirely in the water , including a well - known display known as “rushing , ” where two birds turn to one side , lunge forward in synchrony , their bodies completely out of the water , and race across the water side by side with their necks curved gracefully forward . back to top

or black and white patterns on the head . bill color also becomes bright orange or yellow in a few species while the pied - billed grebe’s bill acquires a dark , vertical line .

western technology and engineering , inc . ( westech ) . , 2001 , wildlife monitoring absaloka mine area annual report , 2000 . montana smp 85005 . osmp montana 0007e . february 2001 .

two groups – eastern ( brown - backed ) and western ( gray - backed ) – can be distinguished by average plumage color , but the reliability of differences needs to be determined .

the western grebe breeds in british columbia , alberta , saskatchewan , manitoba , and throughout the western united states . it is a colonial breeder , with an uneven and clustered breeding distribution . it winters mainly in coastal areas from southern alaska to mexico , and on inland lakes , particularly in the southern portion of its range . large numbers formerly occurred in the salish sea ( strait of georgia , juan de fuca strait , and puget sound ) , but in recent years the wintering distribution has apparently shifted southward to california . ( updated 2017 / 08 / 10 )

habitat : during the breeding season , the western grebe frequents freshwater lakes , brackish marshes , reservoir and ponds , and usually areas with large stretches of open water with surrounding reedy vegetation . in winter , it is often found in brackish and salt waters , including at sea along the coasts . it is visible in coastal bays and estuaries , and sometimes on inland freshwater sites .

but the grebe ' s technique could have some interesting applications in the robotics world—a robot that runs on water could be used for search and rescue operations in flooded or marsh - like environments .

coastal and interior circles are those < 50 km or ≥50 km from the coast , respectively ( see methods ) . mean count per circle is averaged across all 36 years and does not account for trend . proportion wegr refers to the percentage of all observations to species that were identified as western grebes ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) since the split of western and clark’s grebes in 1985 .

the western grebe is the most gregarious species of north american grebe ; wintering flocks of over 10 , 000 individuals have been observed and nesting colonies can contain thousands of pairs . it engages in complex courtship rituals and is seasonally monogamous . pairs build a nest together , which they defend aggressively , and they alternate incubation duties . the downy young leave the nest immediately after hatching and are then brooded on their parents’ backs . western grebes are mainly piscivorous and both parents feed the young , until they are independent at about 8 - 10 weeks of age . they usually produce one clutch per year . typical clutches contain 1 - 4 eggs and annual productivity ranges from 0 . 39 to 0 . 88 young per breeding adult . ( updated 2017 / 08 / 10 )

differences in song , plumage , and possibly tail movements ( as well as dna ) between eastern and western populations may be sufficient for field identification , but this has not yet been confirmed .

birders visiting open , marshy lakes and bays in the western united states can easily be stumped by clark ' s grebes and western grebes . once considered the same species , these two distinct birds are nearly identical and the unique characteristics each has are subtle . since the species are also relatively uncommon in many areas , chances for extended observation are minimal , making identifying these grebes particularly challenging .

voice : both clark ' s and western grebes are often found in large colonies where calls and sounds can be overwhelming . clark ' s grebes have a single syllable " kreeek " call , while western grebes have a distinct two syllable " kree - eeek " call . though both calls are similar , the number of syllables can be an important clue for a bird ' s identity .

did you know ? the mating display of the western grebe is among the most complicated of all . during the ' weed dance , ' the male and female both raise their chest gently out of the water and then rub each other with water plants in their long bills . then comes the ' rushing ' phase when the birds look at each other before exploding into a sprint across the water ' s surface . each grebe stands high , with its wings held back and its cobra - like head and neck rigid . the race ends with the pair diving head first into the water .

the synchrophase was born out of broadcast boom but was really not marketed during that period which ended around the beginning of 1924 . by mid - 1924 , radio buyers wanted great performance and easy operation . grebe had some top engineers that designed a receiver that was made up of innovative components rather than a special circuit . grebe components were built at the factory . they had their own bakelite molding facilities , their own screw machines , plating facilities , everything required to build first - class equipment . the new synchrophase ' s mechanical superiority was due to the experienced manufacturing ability of the grebe company .

unless otherwise noted , serial letters are for mu - 1 receivers . also noted are any further component variations that would further " narrow down " the time period of manufacture . please be sure to examine your mu - 1 or mu - 2 carefully because grebe factory / dealer upgrades are difficult to tell from original . see section above on " grebe factory / dealer installed upgrades and modifications . "

characteristic for the two species of this genus are the stubby white bills with a black vertical band during the breeding season . the atitlan grebe is much bigger than de pied - billed and practically flightless .

is commonly found from canada through california , and sometimes in mexico . it usually occurs in the great plains and western states , but occasionally can be found in the eastern half of the united states .

lindvall , m . l . and j . b . low . 1982 . nesting ecology and production of western grebes at bear river migratory bird refuge , utah . condor 84 : 66 - 70 .

eastern and western populations differ in intensity of male plumage , but intergrade broadly and , given the variation shown in carotenoid pigments in plumage of birds , are probably not safely identified by this feature alone .

51–74 cm ; 550–1800 g . large , long - billed , long - necked , white and black to dark grey - brown grebe lacking obvious crest on head . nominate race in breeding plumage . . .

to speculate on a reason for the obfuscation : it might indicate that grebe was trying to protect themselves from a neutrodyne lawsuit settlement that would be based on total production quantities . it seems possible that the grebe management came up with an undecipherable code that allowed them to identify each mu - 1 and mu - 2 receiver while preventing anyone else from discerning any useable information from just the serial letters . if you had the code book , like the grebe factory must have , you could identify any mu - 1 or mu - 2 but , without the code book , nothing specific could be determined about anything involving production quantities .

2 . two position band switch that extends the tuning range of the receiver up to 2000kc ( though most mu - 1 receivers will only tune to about 1900kc . ) - advertised september , 1925 . it ' s unlikely that any grebe mu - 1 receivers were built with the ball chain drive but without the band switch . the band switch is shown in the grebe mu - 1 schematic dated august 29 , 1925

waage , bruce c . , 1996 , western energy company rosebud mine , colstrip , montana : 1995 annual wildlife monitoring report ; december 1 , 1994 - november 30 , 1995 . february 28 , 1996 .

two subspecies ( eastern and western ) differ substantially in dna , but apparently very little in plumage and no differences are known in voice or behavior . criteria for identification in the field remain to be discovered .

eastern and western subspecies differ only on average in overall plumage color . some extremes might be identifiable but color is so variable with age and sex that most probably cannot be identified to subspecies outside their normal range .

) , with western and clark’s grebes representing 98 % and 2 % of observations , respectively . the percentage of birds identified as western grebes varied by region but was very close to 100 % in the portion of the winter range situated north of 42 degrees latitude , varied from 95–97 % in coastal california , 92 % in interior california and nevada , and 47 % in new mexico , arizona , texas and interior mexico (

each circle refers to an audubon christmas bird count used in the analysis and the size of the circle is scaled to the effort adjusted abundance of grebes on the count in that year . combined data on western ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) and clark’s grebes ( a . clarkii ) were used in the figure but over 90 % of observations are for western grebes in all regions except the southwestern states ( see text for further detail ) .

the differences between clark ' s grebes and western grebes are subtle , but distinct . birders who learn to tell the difference between the two species can appreciate their subtleties and enjoy finding both of them in similar habitats .

together , the male and female western grebe build a floating nest made of heaps of plant material anchored to emergent vegetation in a shallow area of a marsh . the female lays three to four eggs , and both parents incubate . once hatched , the young leave the nest almost immediately and ride on the backs of the parents . both parents feed the young . young are plain gray and white , not striped like the young of other grebes .

additionally , some early grebe receivers will have a gold colored label in the shape of the tuning dial escutcheons glued to one of the inside walls of the synchrophase . these labels advertised wahg and the fact that the grebe qsl cards were included with the purchase of the synchrophase . the installation of these advertising labels at assembly must have only lasted a short time as they are not found very often and are usually on late 1924 versions of the synchrophase .

however , looking at the photograph shown to the right , which is the grebe factory test and alignment department , it ' s apparent that grebe wasn ' t trying to hide the fact that the synchrophase was a tremendous seller . over one hundred synchrophase chassis are shown in this photo . each cart appears capable of holding at least twenty - five chassis and there are four carts in the area . maybe advertising hype wasn ' t considered admissible evidence .

records in virginia and western alaska have been suspected of being the african and asian subspecies , respectively , which may be elevated to species status , but identification has not been confirmed and id criteria need to be worked out .

the booklet is printed in multiple colors and the artwork for the various synchrophase models are shown in brown and gold tones . typical of grebe operator ' s manuals , whenever an escutcheon is pictured , it is shown in gold .

grebe sightings in north america from 1975 to 2010 . analyses using a longer data set from 1970 produced identical results to those we report here but because of the increased cbc survey coverage after 1975 we focus on that time period .

behavior : the courtship display of the western grebe is among the most elaborate breeding rituals of north american wildlife . during the ' weed dance , ' the male and female both raise their torsos gently out of the water , caressing each other with aquatic vegetation held in their long , rapier - like bills . the pair ' s bond is fully reinforced by the ' rushing ' phase , during which the birds glance at one another before exploding into a sprint across the water ' s surface . each grebe stands high , with its wings held back and its cobra - like head and neck rigid , until the race ends with the pair breaking the water ' s surface in a headfirst dive .

two subspecies ( kamchatka a rare visitor to western alaska ) differ in plumage and many / most are probably reliably separated in adult male plumage , but intergradation and variation need to be assessed . some authorities split these into two species .

citation : wilson s , anderson em , wilson asg , bertram df , arcese p ( 2013 ) citizen science reveals an extensive shift in the winter distribution of migratory western grebes . plos one 8 ( 6 ) : e65408 . urltoken

during the breeding season , the western grebe performs amazing series of ritual displays , often more elaborate than in other species . this behaviour happens entirely in the water . after several advertising calls , typical displays such as “head - shaking ceremony” occur . this one is an introduction to others , more elaborate . both birds are floating with the neck erect and facing each other . they shake their heads , quickly up and down and slowly side to side . they are silent .

5 . tone color control is changed to capacitance - only , stepped - switch adjustment and it now shunts the audio output tube grid to - c . position 6 is open for " flat " response . grebe schematic 8 - 16 - 26

several subspecies groups are identifiable by plumage , size and flight call , but more study is needed to sort out variation and assess intermediate populations . kamchatka subspecies recorded several times in western alaska differs substantially from north american populations in dna barcode test .

each grebe ' s step started with a splayed foot slapping the water , generating between 30 to 55 percent of the vertical force needed to keep the animals from sinking . the rest came from the bird actually pushing its foot underwater , clifton explains .

behaviour in the wild : the western grebe feeds mainly on both freshwater and marine fish , and it may take sometimes fairly large fish of up to 20 centimetres long . aquatic insects , molluscs , crustaceans , marine worms and some amphibians are also included in its diet . it fishes mainly by diving during about 30 seconds . rapid bursts of diving are interspersed with long periods at surface where the bird probably feeds on fish’s schools . it uses its strong bill as a rapid spear thrust for hunting .

western grebes breed on freshwater lakes and marshes with extensive open water bordered by emergent vegetation . during winter they move to saltwater or brackish bays , estuaries , or sheltered sea coasts and are less frequently found on freshwater lakes or rivers . back to top

wollis s , stratmoen c ( 2010 ) population study of western grebes in alberta 2001–2009 : implications for management and status designation . alberta sustainable resource development , fish and wildlife division , alberta species at risk report no . 138 . edmonton , ab .

introduction : this large grebe is well known for its spectacular courtship displays , and especially the amazing “rushing - ceremony” during which the birds rush wildly across the water , side by side , with their bodies out of water and their necks gracefully curved forwards .

oh , what fun and fabulous pictures ! western grebes don’t show up in my eastern n . a . field guides , so i’ll have to assume that’s mom – either way , ( s ) he seems unconcerned with the racket going on behind her !

llimona , f . , del hoyo , j . , christie , d . a . , jutglar , f . & kirwan , g . m . ( 2018 ) . western grebe ( aechmophorus occidentalis ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

since the synchrophase was an impressive performing receiver and the styling was quite popular it seems natural that owners wanted to keep their mu - 1 up - to - date for at least a while . radio was so rapidly evolving in the twenties many radios were sold ( especially in 1926 ) that became obsolete in just one year . though the synchrophase wasn ' t quite in that rapidly obsolete category , there were some upgrades that probably were offered by the grebe factory and by some grebe dealers to customers who had purchased an earlier model .

although most species are solitary during breeding , clark’s and western grebes nest in large colonies . they are highly vocal at this time but become much quieter during the winter . at all times of the year grebes feed on fish by catching them underwater on frequent dives .

three subspecies are usually identifiable by differences in overall color , although intergrades do occur and no differences in structure or voice are known . in addition , siberian birds differ significantly in dna , slightly in plumage . these have been reported in western alaska but not confirmed .

two subspecies groups differ in non - adult - male plumages , and may differ in voice . more study is needed to determine how reliably these can be distinguished in the field , and whether southwestern desert birds belong with other western populations or as a separate group .