Clark's Grebe - Aechmophorus clarkii
General Description
Sexes similar in size and plumage. Black crown with yellow beak and white neck; back of neck gray. Top of body mostly gray with speckled white spots. Coverts white with speckled gray.
Distribution
Montana Range
Observations in Montana: 95
Montana CountiesBeaverhead, Broadwater, Carbon, Cascade, Fallon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Missoula, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powell, Ravalli, Roosevelt, Sanders, Sheridan, Teton, Valley, Wheatland, Yellowstone
Migration
Extreme sighting dates are April 25, 1993 at Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area (M. Schwitters) and October 21, 1995 at Somers (D. Casey).
Habitat
Clark's Grebes are only reported breeding at very large lakes and reservoirs in Montana. Nesting on Lake Helena was near mid-lake on mats of aquatic plants that had reached the surface.
Food Habits
Diet consists of mainly fish, aquatic invertebrates along with a few amphibians and feathers.
Reproductive Characteristics
Single brooded species with three to four eggs per brood. Incubation period 23 days. Young able to fly 63-77 days after hatch.