Great Crested Grebe

The eggs are covered with wet vegetation when the parents leave the nest. .

The Great Crested Grebe is primarily a freshwater bird but may also breed in brackish water if there are reeds where it can place its nest. The nest is built in the reeds furthest out in the water, and is made of reeds and other aquatic plants.

The breeding population of Great Crested Grebe has been increasing steadily for the past 37 years, with a maximum of less than 30 pairs. Store Kattinge Sø and Selsø have breeding populations of about 10 pairs each. (These are not included in the breeding figures shown). The greater part of the island population is found on Skovholmene, but after the restoration of Store Rørsø on Eskilsø a smaller population also settled there. The autumn and winter populations vary widely, with numbers below 1,000 in autumn and 200 in winter.




Key to the Distribution Map.

Great Crested Grebe - population trends