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Colombian Grebe - BirdForum Opus

Skull t.png The species Colombian Grebe is extinct.
Skull t.png


Podiceps andinus

Identification

Very similar to Black-necked Grebe except with a chestnut foreneck and upper breast, rather than black.

Distribution

South America: formerly Andes of Colombia. Extinct; last reported 1977 at Lake Tota (3015 m altitude). Subsequent surveys in the early 80's failed to find the species.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1]. Although still retained as a species in most listings[1][2][3], recent genetic studies suggest it would have been better treated as a subspecies of Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis, being particularly closely related to the North American subspecies P. nigricollis californicus[4]

Habitat

Freshwater wetlands, pools and lakes.

Behaviour

Presumed to have been similar to Black-necked Grebe; extinction possibly due to competition from introduced trout, and/or to fertiliser pollution from surrounding farmland[2].

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1992. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334108
  3. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2016. IOC World Bird Names (version 6.3). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
  4. Ogawa, L. M., et al. (2015). Opposing demographic histories reveal rapid evolution in grebes (Aves: Podicipedidae). The Auk 132: 771–786.
  5. The Extinction Website

Recommended Citation

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