The Black-necked Grebe is 28–34 cm long. The adult is unmistakable in summer with a black head and neck and yellow ear tufts. In winter, this small grebe is white with a poorly defined black cap, which distinguishes it from the crisper-looking Horned Grebe.
Fun Fact For perhaps nine to ten months each year the species is flightless; this is the longest flightless period of any bird in the world capable of flight at all.