Poliocephalus poliocephalus
Silhouette: Tisha Mukherjee · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The hoary-headed grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus) is a member of the grebe family. It breeds in southern parts of Australia; it winters throughout the island of Tasmania. The bird takes its name from the silvery-white streaking on its black head. It is common in Australia, with a population of about 500,000. Its habitat is similar to that of the Australasian grebe.
The hoary-headed grebe is a fairly small dark grey and white grebe. It has a brown eye and a black patch under the chin, and a narrow black streak down the back of the neck. During the breeding season the adult's plumage has white streaks over its entire head, giving them the common name of hoary-headed grebe. Juveniles have a white chin and throat and a striped face. Males have two plumage phases: after breeding they lose the buff breast and the white lines on the head, but can usually be identified then by the broad black bar down the nape.
The hoary-headed grebe is found in all states and territories of Australia. It is generally absent from the central arid regions of Australia. The hoary-headed grebe is usually found away from the shoreline in large open waters, which... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hoary-headed Grebe sighting in Great Otway National Park on a given day, based on 135 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 103rd most-seen of the 175 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July to November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Hoary-headed Grebe in Great Otway National Park on a given day, against under 5% in December to June, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hoary-headed Grebe sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 9
Of the 9 parks where we can rate Hoary-headed Grebe sightings, Great Otway National Park ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, about 10%), Grampians National Park (Australia, about 10%) and Booderee National Park (Australia, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Hoary-headed Grebe is recorded against all the birds logged in Great Otway National Park (135 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
