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Articles

Vol. 49 No. 3 (2018)

HYPEREUMELANISTIC HORNED GREBE OBSERVED IN EASTERN INTERIOR ALASKA

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21199/WB49.3.7
Submitted
September 17, 2025
Published
July 1, 2018

Abstract

On 30 May, 31 May, and 1 June 2017 we observed a melanistic Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) at Canvasback Lake (66° 23.13’ N, 146° 23.18’ W) on the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, situated in eastern interior Alaska, 185 km north of Fairbanks. We photographed it, accompanied by a smaller Horned Grebe in normal breeding plumage, on 30 and 31 May (see this issue’s outside back cover). At midday on 30 May the melanistic grebe responded to our playing a recorded call of a territorial male by assertively approaching and greeting the normally plumaged grebe, its likely mate. The melanistic bird remained with that grebe throughout our playing of the call.

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