Red-necked Grebe dives for food |
The species' closest relative is the Crested Grebe.
Red-necked Grebe breeds in shallow nutrient-rich plains lakes, bays in large lakes, wetlands, ponds, in the bays of rivers and other inland waters with plenty of emergent aquatic plants like reeds. The American subspecies are less tied to the habitat with plenty of emergent aquatic plants and hedges sometimes in fairly open lakes.
Red-necked Grebe winters at sea, often in bays and estuaries, but also further out to sea at shallow banks or islands where there is access to fishing at the right depth.