Grebe identification

[Mideerhunter]

Hey guys, I am a new duck hunter in Michigan. I am seeing lots online about people shooting grebes when they can't but I can't find much on how to id them while hunting. The only things I see are regarding the beak shape and that they don't really fly. Do you guys have any tips?

 

[KurtR]

They are small have a weird beak and don’t fly. Other than that get an id book go to a slough with binocs and practice identifying ducks. You can tell a lot by how each duck flys.

 

[Mideerhunter]

They are small have a weird beak and don’t fly. Other than that get an id book go to a slough with binocs and practice identifying ducks. You can tell a lot by how each duck flys.

Thanks!

 

[sram9102]

Once you see a couple grebes they are pretty easy to identify. Also if a single or pair of birds swims right into your spread from 100s of yards away without a care in the world... typically grebes in my experience. I always joke with my hunting buddy that they are protected because of their lack of intelligence not because of the population numbers.

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[WCB]

Grebes have darker meat than ducks...they pluck different also

 

[Rich M]

Not legal to shoot em down here - look at a bird ID book. Grebe looks nothing like a duck, swims around, rarely flies. Usually solo or in small groups of 2 or 3.

 

[Runwilderness]

There are actually a few different types of grebes and I would second picking up a birding ID guide and spending some time with binos just birding, but while some grebes can be hard to identify vs other grebes…none look like ducks.

Here is a good online resource:

Search Results

Your online guide to birds and birdwatching

www.allaboutbirds.org

 

[ScreamingPotato]

If you don't skillet shoot birds you have roughly 0% chance of shooting a grebe.

 

[LongWayAround]

After you shoot one, you realize that's what a grebe looks like.

 

[OneGunTex]

Note that coots are all black, all the time.

May or may not know a buddy that shot a grayish-brown "female coot"