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Slavonian grebe

Slavonian grebe on the water

What am I?

I am a less common grebe.

Where do I come from?

A very small number of us breed in Scotland but most of us come from Scandinavia.

A bit about me

I am a rare bird with red eyes and black and white plumage in the Winter. During the breeding season I look even more striking as my white feathers turn red and I grow bright orange ear tufts. I dive for fish and aquatic invertebrates and because of my red eyes, I’ve been given folk names such as devil-diver, hell-diver, and water-witch!

Local spotlight

If you’re lucky you might spot me out to sea in the Winter.

Conservation status

I’m red listed in the UK

My name might not be listed in the Solent’s Special Protection Areas but I am still definitely important for the coastal ecosystem and form part of the non-breeding waterbird assemblages which these regions are protected for.

Fun fact

Don’t ask us why but we regularly eat our own feathers! They form a plug in our stomach which may act as a filter, holding fish bones until we can digest them.