In Arizona, rare grebes such as the Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) and the Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) are infrequent visitors, typically appearing during migration or winter. The Horned Grebe, a small, compact species with a striking black-and-gold head pattern in breeding plumage, is most often seen in basic nonbreeding plumage, with a black cap, white cheeks, and gray back, on large reservoirs and lakes in late fall through early spring. The larger Red-necked Grebe, distinguished in breeding season by its rufous neck and contrasting black cap but usually seen in Arizona in its subdued gray and white winter plumage, occurs even more rarely, often singly, on deep, open water such as large reservoirs. Both species breed far to the north in Canada and Alaska and reach Arizona only irregularly, generally after storms or weather events that push them south of their normal range, making any sighting of these northern grebes a notable event for birders in the state.
