Animalia > Chordata > Aves > Podicipediformes > Podicipedidae > Aechmophorus > Aechmophorus occidentalis
 

Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe)

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Wikipedia Abstract

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". This is the largest North American grebe. It is 55–75 cm (22–30 in) long, weighs 795–1,818 g (1.75–4.01 lb) and measures 79–102 cm (31–40 in) across the wings. It is black-and-white, with a long, slender, swan-like neck and red eyes.
View Wikipedia Record: Aechmophorus occidentalis

Infraspecies

Aechmophorus occidentalis ephemeralis
Aechmophorus occidentalis occidentalis

Attributes

Adult Weight [2]  3.25 lbs (1.48 kg)
Birth Weight [2]  31 grams
Female Maturity [2]  1 year
Male Maturity [2]  1 year
Clutch Size [3]  4
Incubation [2]  23 days
Maximum Longevity [2]  14 years
Water Biome [1]  Lakes and Ponds, Coastal

Ecoregions

Name Countries Ecozone Biome Species Report Map Climate Land
Use
Baja California desert Mexico Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Bajío dry forests Mexico Neotropic Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Balsas dry forests Mexico Neotropic Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Blue Mountains forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
California Central Valley grasslands United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
California coastal sage and chaparral Mexico, United States Nearctic Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub
California interior chaparral and woodlands United States Nearctic Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub
California montane chaparral and woodlands United States Nearctic Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub
Canadian Aspen forests and parklands Canada Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Central and Southern Cascades forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Central Mexican matorral Mexico Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Central tall grasslands United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Chihuahuan desert Mexico, United States Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Colorado Plateau shrublands United States Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Colorado Rockies forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Eastern Cascades forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Great Basin shrub steppe United States Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Gulf of California xeric scrub Mexico Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Klamath-Siskiyou forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Meseta Central matorral Mexico Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Mid-Continental Canadian forests Canada Nearctic Boreal Forests/Taiga
Mojave desert United States Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Montana Valley and Foothill grasslands Canada, United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Nebraska Sand Hills mixed grasslands United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
North Central Rockies forests Canada, United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Northern California coastal forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Northern Mesoamerican Pacific mangroves Mexico Neotropic Mangroves    
Northern mixed grasslands Canada, United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Northern short grasslands Canada, United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Northern tall grasslands Canada, United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Okanagan dry forests Canada, United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Palouse grasslands United States Nearctic Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Puget lowland forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
San Lucan xeric scrub Mexico Neotropic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Sierra de la Laguna dry forests Mexico Neotropic Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Sierra de la Laguna pine-oak forests Mexico Neotropic Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests
Sierra Juarez and San Pedro Martir pine-oak forests Mexico Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Sierra Madre de Oaxaca pine-oak forests Mexico Neotropic Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests
Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forests Mexico, United States Nearctic Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests
Sierra Nevada forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Snake-Columbia shrub steppe United States Nearctic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
South Central Rockies forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Tehuacán Valley matorral Mexico Neotropic Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests Mexico Neotropic Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests
Upper Midwest forest-savanna transition United States Nearctic Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests
Wasatch and Uinta montane forests United States Nearctic Temperate Coniferous Forests
Western Great Lakes forests Canada, United States Nearctic Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests

Protected Areas

Name IUCN Category Area acres Location Species Website Map Climate Land Use
Alto Golfo de California y Delta del Rio Colorado Biosphere Reserve VI 2320468 Sonora, Mexico  
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA III 184543 California, United States
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge IV 14642 North Dakota, United States
Badlands National Park II 178535 South Dakota, United States
Banff National Park II 1690912 Alberta, Canada
Big Thicket Biosphere Reserve National Park II 616880 Texas, United States
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area V 36286 Montana, Wyoming, United States
Bryce Canyon National Park II 36348 Utah, United States
Cabrillo National Monument V 149 California, United States
California Coast Ranges Biosphere Reserve 153447 California, United States  
Canyonlands National Park II 335430 Utah, United States
Cape Hatteras National Seashore II 21476 North Carolina, United States
Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge IV 8964 South Carolina, United States
Carlsbad Caverns National Park II 15448 New Mexico, United States
Carolinian-South Atlantic Biosphere Reserve 310228 North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, United States      
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary   California, United States
Channel Islands National Park II 139010 California, United States
Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve 864738 British Columbia, Canada  
Crater Lake National Park II 180091 Oregon, United States
Creighton Ranch Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve Ia 3275 California, United States  
Curecanti National Recreation Area V 31032 Colorado, United States
De Soto National Wildlife Refuge IV 8007 Iowa, Nebraska, United States
Death Valley National Park II 762125 California, Nevada, United States
Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Ia   Idaho, United States
Dinosaur National Monument III 203307 Colorado, Utah, United States
Elk Island National Park II 47171 Alberta, Canada
Elkhorn Slough Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve Ia 964 California, United States  
Farallon National Wildlife Refuge IV 352 California, United States
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Ib 591068 Alaska, United States
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area V 1087901 Arizona, Utah, United States
Golden Gate National Recreation Area V 26135 California, United States
Grand Canyon National Park II 1210128 Arizona, United States
Grasslands National Park II 128635 Saskatchewan, Canada
Gray Lodge State Wildlife Area State Wildlife Management Area IV 8471 California, United States
Great Basin National Park II 77367 Nevada, United States
Gulf Islands National Park National Park Reserve II 8785 British Columbia, Canada
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve II 366714 British Columbia, Canada
Heath and Marjorie Angelo Coast Range Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve Ia 7008 California, United States
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore II 8272 Indiana, United States
Jasper National Park II 2776809 Alberta, Canada
Kern River Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve Ia 834 California, United States
Kootenay National Park II 341762 British Columbia, Canada
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area II 606367 Washington, United States
Lake Mead National Recreation Area V 670229 Arizona, Nevada, United States
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area V 103172 Washington, United States
Lanphere-Christensen Dunes Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve Ia 471 California, United States  
Lassen Volcanic National Park II 29388 California, United States
Lava Beds National Monument III 20002 California, United States
Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve 5901 California, United States  
Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve 293047 British Columbia, Canada  
Mount Rainier National Park II 235186 Washington, United States
Nez Perce National Historical Park V 2076 Idaho, United States
Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve 470167 Ontario, Canada  
Nipomo Dunes Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve Ia 3725 California, United States
Olympic Biosphere Reserve II 922805 Washington, United States
Organ Pipe Cactus Biosphere Reserve 327376 Arizona, United States  
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve II 137900 British Columbia, Canada
Padre Island National Seashore II 42068 Texas, United States
Paine Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve 2965 California, United States      
Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center 6101 California, United States
Pinnacles National Monument V 2869 California, United States
Point Reyes National Seashore II 27068 California, United States
Prince Albert National Park II 976762 Saskatchewan, Canada
Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve 277252 Saskatchewan, Canada
Redwood National Park II 77867 California, United States
Reserva de la Biosfera El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve VI 6176727 Mexico  
Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve II 762028 Manitoba, Canada
Rocky Mountain Biosphere Reserve II 239938 Colorado, United States
Saint Croix International Historic Site   Maine, United States
San Juan Island National Historical Park III 1674 Washington, United States
Santa Cruz Island Preserve Nature Conservancy - Preserve 46021 California, United States
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area V 38440 California, United States
Sevilleta LTER Site Long Term Ecological Research IV 228335 New Mexico, United States
Shortgrass Steppe LTER Site Long Term Ecological Research   Colorado, United States
Virginia Coast Biosphere Reserve 33386 Virginia, United States  
Voyageurs National Park II 177960 Minnesota, United States
Waterton Biosphere Reserve II 121459 Alberta, Canada
Whiskey-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area V 197791 California, United States
White Sands National Monument III 139922 New Mexico, United States
Wind Cave National Park II 29471 South Dakota, United States
Yellowstone Biosphere Reserve II 2196863 Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, United States
Yoho National Park II 317576 British Columbia, Canada
Zion National Park II 135667 Utah, United States

Ecosystems

Important Bird Areas

BirdLife Species Factsheet: View Factsheet
Name Location  IBA Criteria   Website   Map   Climate   Land Use 
Barkley Sound Canada A1, A4i, A4iii
Baynes Sound Canada A4i
Boundary Bay: Roberts Bank: Sturgeon Bank (Fraser River Estuary) Canada A4i, A4iii
Delta Marsh Canada A4i, A4iii
Eagle, Namaka and Stobart Lakes Canada A4i, A4iii
English Bay and Burrard Inlet Canada A4i
Frank Lake (south) Canada A4i, A4iii
Lesser Slave Lake PP Canada A4i
Little Qualicum Estuary to Nanoose Bay Canada A4i, A4iii

Biodiversity Hotspots

Name Location Endemic Species Website Map
Atlantic Forest Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay No
California Floristic Province Mexico, United States No
Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands Mexico, United States No
Mesoamerica Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama No

Prey / Diet

Clupea pallasii pallasii (Pacific herring)[4]
Cymatogaster aggregata (Shiner)[4]
Leptocottus armatus (Cabezon)[4]
Pandalus goniurus (humpy shrimp)[4]

Prey / Diet Overlap

Competing SpeciesCommon Prey Count
Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron)1
Balaenoptera physalus (Fin Whale)1
Brachyramphus marmoratus (Marbled Murrelet)1
Callorhinus ursinus (Northern Fur Seal)1
Cerorhinca monocerata (Rhinoceros Auklet)1
Clangula hyemalis (Oldsquaw)1
Eumetopias jubatus (Steller Sea Lion)1
Fratercula cirrhata (Tufted Puffin)1
Gadus macrocephalus (Pacific cod)2
Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Bald Eagle)1
Hippoglossoides elassodon (Paper sole)1
Hippoglossus stenolepis (Pacific halibut)1
Hydroprogne caspia (Caspian Tern)1
Leptocottus armatus (Cabezon)1
Merluccius productus (Whiting)1
Nycticorax nycticorax (Black-crowned Night-Heron)1
Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii (Cutthroat trout)3
Phalacrocorax auritus (Double-crested Cormorant)1
Phalacrocorax pelagicus (Pelagic Cormorant)2
Phocoenoides dalli (Dall's Porpoise)1
Podiceps auritus (Horned Grebe)2
Podiceps grisegena (Red-necked Grebe)1
Rissa tridactyla (Black-legged Kittiwake)2
Sebastes flavidus (Yellowtail rockfish)1
Squalus acanthias (Common spiny)1
Synthliboramphus antiquus (Ancient Murrelet)1
Theragra chalcogramma (Whiting)2
Tursiops truncatus (Bottlenosed Dolphin)1

Consumers

Parasitized by 
Apatemon gracilis[5]
Baruscapillaria obsignata <Unverified Name>[5]
Capillaria obsignata <Unverified Name>[5]
Cercarioides humbargari <Unverified Name>[5]
Confluaria furcifera[5]
Confluaria podicipina[5]
Contracaecum ovale <Unverified Name>[5]
Cosmocephalus obvelatus <Unverified Name>[5]
Dicranotaenia paraporale <Unverified Name>[5]
Dubininolepis furcifera <Unverified Name>[5]
Dubininolepis podicipina <Unverified Name>[5]
Echinochasmus donaldsoni <Unverified Name>[5]
Ichthyocotylurus erraticus[5]
Ichthyocotylurus pileatus[5]
Ichthyocotylurus platycephalus[5]
Ligula intestinalis[5]
Mesorchis polycestus <Unverified Name>[5]
Microsomacanthus microskrjabini[5]
Pararetinometra lateralacantha <Unverified Name>[5]
Petasiger nitidus[5]
Petasiger pseudoneocomense <Unverified Name>[5]
Polymorphus marilis[5]
Polymorphus paradoxus[5]
Schistocephalus solidus[5]
Streptocara crassicauda <Unverified Name>[5]
Syncuaria decorata <Unverified Name>[5]
Tatria biremis[5]
Tatria decacantha[5]
Tetrabothrius immerinus[5]
Tetrabothrius macrocephalus[5]
Tetrameres fissispina <Unverified Name>[5]
Tylodelphys podicipina[5]
Wardium paraporale <Unverified Name>[5]

Range Map

Link to Map
North America;

External References

Photos

Citations

Species recognized by Banks R.C., 22-Sep-2011, ITIS Global: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System in Catalog of Life 2011
Attributes / relations provided by ♦ 1Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2006. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed February 01, 2010 at animaldiversity.org ♦ 2de Magalhaes, J. P., and Costa, J. (2009) A database of vertebrate longevity records and their relation to other life-history traits. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22(8):1770-1774 ♦ 3Jetz W, Sekercioglu CH, Böhning-Gaese K (2008) The Worldwide Variation in Avian Clutch Size across Species and Space PLoS Biol 6(12): e303. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060303 ♦ 4Food Web Relationships of Northern Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca : a Synthesis of the Available Knowledge, Charles A. Simenstad, Bruce S. Miller, Carl F. Nyblade, Kathleen Thornburgh, and Lewis J. Bledsoe, EPA-600 7-29-259 September 1979 ♦ 5Gibson, D. I., Bray, R. A., & Harris, E. A. (Compilers) (2005). Host-Parasite Database of the Natural History Museum, London
Ecoregions provided by World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF). WildFinder: Online database of species distributions, ver. 01.06 gis.wwfus.org/wildfinder
Protected Areas provided by Biological Inventories of the World's Protected Areas in cooperation between the Information Center for the Environment at the University of California, Davis and numerous collaborators.
Biodiversity Hotspots provided by Biodiversity Hotspots, Conservation International
Important Bird Areas provided by BirdLife International (2010) Important Bird Areas. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 29/12/2010
Images provided by Google Image Search
Abstract provided by DBpedia licensed under a Creative Commons License
Range map provided by Ridgely, R. S., T. F. Allnutt, T. Brooks, D. K. McNicol, D. W. Mehlman, B. E. Young, and J. R. Zook. 2007. Digital Distribution Maps of the Birds of the Western Hemisphere, version 3.0. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia, USA.
Data provided by NatureServe in collaboration with Robert Ridgely, James Zook, The Nature Conservancy - Migratory Bird Program, Conservation International - CABS, World Wildlife Fund - US, and Environment Canada - WILDSPACE.
Weather provided by NOAA METAR Data Access