Holboell's Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegena holboellii Reinhardt, 1853 (1, 0)
Photo © Roger Riddington, Quendale, Mainland, Shetland, February 2024
Sub-species
STATUS
Holarctic.
OVERVIEW
This is still the only acceptable record of this larger version (Cat. B). Only in-hand measurements can separate it from the local population. Has occurred in France and Iceland (Witherby).
RECORD
1). 1925 Highland Gruinard Bay, Ross & Cromarty, shot, September.
(N. B. Kinnear, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 48: 53, 70-71; BOURC (1928), Ibis 70: 321; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 22: 100-101; E. V. Baxter & L. J. Rintoul, Scottish Naturalist 49: 111; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Thom, 1986; R. Y. McGowan, British Birds 99: 481; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).
History N. B. Kinnear, Editor (1927) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XLVIII. p. 53, at the 314th Meeting of the Club held on 14th December 1927 at Pagani's Restaurant, London, says: 'Dr. P. R. Lowe exhibited a mounted example of a Red-necked Grebe, said to have been obtained at Aultbea, Ross-shire, in September 1925, and forwarded to the Museum for identification by Messrs. John Betteridge and Son of Birmingham.
Dr. Lowe considered the bird to be an example of the American form, Podiceps griseigena holboelli (Holboell's Grebe), but before definitely adding it to the British List he wished to make further investigations, as the specimen is not altogether normal, and also to obtain additional particulars of its capture.'
N. B. Kinnear, Editor (1928) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XLVIII. pp. 70-71, at the 316th Meeting of the Club held on 8th February 1928 at Pagani's Restaurant, London, says: 'The Chairman said that some members present might remember that at the meeting of the Club held last December he had exhibited an example of the American race of the Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps griseigena holboellii), which had been sent to the British Museum by Messrs. Betteridge, of Birmingham, for identification.
This example was stated to have been shot at Aultbea in Ross-shire, but there was some uncertainty at the time as to who had obtained it and as to whether, for that reason, it could be accepted as bonâ fide British record.
Since then the Chairman had been in correspondence with Mr. J. MacGregor of Aultbea, who had shot the bird and who had sent him the following letter: - "Gruinard by Aultbea, Ross-shire, 27th Jan.1928. Dear Sir, I have just received re Grebe. It was shot by me here about two years ago, but I don't remember the date; I suppose Mr. Betteridge can give you the date.
I observed it in the Bay here for a few days before I shot it, and, although I examined it carefully with my telescope, I couldn't make it out; which made me keen to secure it for scientific purposes. I have a fair knowledge of British birds myself, and I compared it with a Red-necked Grebe which I have set up, and I thought they were not the same specimens, and I am pleased to learn that experts are of the same opinion.
I will be glad if you will let me know what specimen it is. It was expert diver, and seemed to get its food in a sandy bay here. Yours faithfully, John MacGregor. PS. - It was actually killed in a wild state here. - J. MacG.".
It was thus established that the bird had been taken within the British Isles, and the Chairman understood that the record had now been accepted by the B.O.U. List Committee, who had seen the letter. The following measurements of the specimen in question are appended: - Bill (a) Exposed culmen, 55 mm; (b) Depth at base, 15 mm; Tarso-metatarsus, 64 mm; Outer toe, 80 mm; Wing, 200 mm.'
H. F. Witherby (1928) in British Birds, Vol. XXII. pp. 100-101, says: 'Three birds new to the British List have been admitted by the British Ornithologists' Union List Committee since the article in Vol. XX. pp. 11-16. These new birds are described below and Mr. Jourdain has supplied paragraphs on their breeding habits and distribution abroad....The American Red-necked Grebe. - Podiceps griseigena holboellii Reinhardt.
An undoubted specimen of this large American form of the Red-necked Grebe was exhibited at the December 1927 meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club by Dr. P. R. Lowe (Bull. B.O.C., XLVIII. p. 53).
It had been forwarded to the British Museum by Messrs. Betteridge & Son of Birmingham, and subsequently Dr. Lowe ascertained its history from Mr. J. MacGregor, who shot it in a bay near Aultbea, Ross-shire in September, 1925. He had observed it for a few days previously (loc. cit., p. 70).
Holboell's Grebe, as it is called in North America, only differs from the typical form by its larger size....The Ross-shire specimen, which was not sexed, measured: wing 203, tarsus 65, bill 55, so that it was an unusually large individual and could not be confused with any example of the typical form.'
BOURC (1928) in The Ibis, Vol. LXX. p. 321, in their 'Sixth List Report', admit this record as a first for Britain.
E. V. Baxter & L. J. Rintoul (1929) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. XLIX. p. 111, in the annual report for 1928, say: 'The examination in 1928 of specimens got in former years has resulted in the following forms being added to the Scottish avifauna.
The American Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps griseigena holboelli) from Aultbea, West Ross (Bull. B.O.C., XLVIII. 53).'
Thom (1986) erroneously states the year as 1920.
Forrester & Andrews et al. (2007 (1): 352) say: 'Reference to MacGregor's original letter confirmed the correct locality as Gruinard Bay.'
Comment The other two were the Hebridean Wren and the Common Nighthawk on Scilly.
