Where to see
Where to see the Great Crested Grebe in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Great Crested Grebe at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Anysberg Nature Reserve and Rocherpan Nature Reserve.
Podiceps cristatus
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Great Crested Grebe
Hosts have recorded the Great Crested Grebe at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Anysberg Nature Reserve and Rocherpan Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Podiceps cristatus
Records
782
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Great Crested Grebe on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Great Crested Grebe in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Great Crested Grebe at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Garden Route National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Great Crested Grebe in South Africa?
The Great Crested Grebe is most recorded in Western Cape (86% of records), Gauteng (8% of records), based on 782 iNaturalist observations. 30 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Great Crested Grebe on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Great Crested Grebe?
The Great Crested Grebe is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct; De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Great Crested Grebe?
The great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) is a member of the grebe family of water birds noted for its elaborate mating display. The scientific name comes from Latin. Podiceps is from podicis, "vent" and pes, "foot", and is a reference to the placement of a grebe's legs towards the rear of its body, and the species name, cristatus means "crested".
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Great Crested Grebe
Every stay on the Great Crested Grebe page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay