BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Podilymbus podiceps
Pied-billed Grebe
| Scientific Name: | Podilymbus podiceps |
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| English Name: | Pied-billed Grebe |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S4 |
| Date Status Assigned: | January 27, 2009 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | March 05, 2015 |
| Reasons: | Widespread. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | FG = 20,000-2,500,000 square km |
| Range Extent Comments: | Breeds (C) on Vancouver Island north to Campbell River and on mainland coast north to Malaspina Inlet. Interior from southern BC north to Quesnel and Peace Lowlands and rarely in Fort Nelson Lowlands. Breeds from sea level to 1,280m. Migration (C) occurs in similar range, and is most pronounced in the interior. Main wintering (BC) sites on waters near Ladner, Victoria, and Vancouver, and a few ice-free lakes in the southern interior valleys. Absent from northwest (Campbell et al 1990). |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | DE = 81 to >300 |
| Comments: | Widespread. |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | U = Unknown |
| Population Size: | D = 1,000 - 2,500 individuals |
| Comments: | Breeding (B). Nonbreeders (C): uncommon resident on s. coast and very rare n. of Vancouver Island; fairly common to common migrant in s. central interior north to Chilcotin-Cariboo where it is fairly common summer visitant and uncommon to fairly common in winter; uncommon summer visitant in northeast (Campbell et al 1990). |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Comments: | Loss of nesting habitat (wetlands). Nonbreeders (D). |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | F = Decline of 10-30% |
| Comments: |
Populations in some major wetlands are disappearing, e.g., Swan Lake (Vernon) had 60 birds in 1931, 4 in 1965, and none was seen during a 1978 spring census (Cannings et al. 1987). CF Comment: Declining in most of British Columbia at greater than 1.5%/Annum 1966-2003 BBS data |
| Long-Term Trend: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Environmental Specificity: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Other Rank Considerations: | |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | |
| Inventory Needs: | |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | |
| Management: | |
| Version | |
| Author: | Westereng, L.K. |
| Date: | January 20, 2000 |
| References | |
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Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I.McT. Cowan, J.M. Cooper, G. Kaiser, and M.C.E. McNall. 1990. The Birds of British Columbia, Vol. 1. Nonpasserines: Introduction, Loons through Waterfowl. Royal B.C. Mus. in association with Environ. Can., Can. Wildl. Serv. 514pp.
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Cannings, R.A., R.J. Cannings, and S.G. Cannings. 1987. Birds of the Okanagan Valley, B.C. Royal B.C. Mus., Victoria, BC. 420pp.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2000. Conservation Status Report: Podilymbus podiceps. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 10, 2026).