Western x Clark's Grebe (hybrid) - Susan Kirkbride

ML412720341

Western x Clark's Grebe (hybrid) Aechmophorus occidentalis x clarkii

Report

Contributor

Date

Location

Lucky 99 Pond/Filbert Lake (restricted access, visible from hwy)
Polk, Oregon, United States
Media from this location Illustrated Checklist
Map
Map Coordinates: 44.7743488, -123.2283533
Age
Not specified
Sex
Not specified

Observation details

This grebe was originally reported as a Western Grebe due to that being the expected species and also the rushed looks we had of the bird due to the traffic on the highway. But after reviewing our photos, and with input from the local WhatsApp group, (thanks everyone!) this bird seems more in line with a Clark’s. The characteristics that seem to point more towards Clark’s than the expected Western are the color of the bill being more of an orangey-yellow, the amount of white above and in front of the eye, and the amount of white plumage on the flanks of the bird. Upon further review from the eBird reviewer, it appears this is a hybrid. EBird reviewer noted “The reasons are that the eye is still too much in smudgy gray, the hind neck stripe is too variable and wide for a typical Clark's and the sides are not quite pale enough. The crown is fairly small too but that might change seasonally. Anyway, most marks are pointing toward hybrid, not a Clark's at this point.”

Technical information

Model
COOLPIX P950
ISO
320
Focal length
357 mm
Flash
Flash did not fire
f-stop
f/6.5
Shutter speed
1/500 sec
Dimensions
1581 pixels x 1581 pixels
Original file size
836.92 KB