♣ Species present in our book of determination sheets (sold in our shop)

Podicipedidae: Grebes

Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

A true lake dancer, the Great Crested Grebe normally nests in the reed beds. In recent years macrophytes have spread to the ports. This has enabled a series of species related to lagoons (areas of calm water protected from the waves) to settle there. The Great Crested Grebe makes the most of these calm areas, using the mooring lines on boats to build its nest. In the natural environment, a floating nest is built by clinging to a reed or other piece of submerged vegetation. In harbours, insufficiently taut mooring lines replace the vegetation. The cohabitation between Great Crested Grebes and harbour users is therefore not easy. 

Tight mooring lines prevent the Great Crested Grebe from nesting, so when you go sailing you don't destroy the nest.

A fish-eater, the Grebe makes perfect use of its streamlined body to hunt fish. In spring, their displays are spectacular. At the end of the breeding season, Grebes lose their nuptial plumage to sport a more discreet grey-white tinted plumage. ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups visible in winter.

Phalacrocoracidae: Cormorants

Great cormorant (phalacrocorax carbo)

A newcomer to Lake Geneva, the Great Cormorant has not made only friends. Voracious fish-eaters that can eat up to 500g of fish a day, cormorants gather in large groups to fish. Easily spotted on the dykes by the way it spreads its wings when at rest, the Cormorant has the distinctive feature of having very little waterproof plumage, which allows it to soak up water and makes it easier to dive. ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups in winter.

Ardeids: Herons

Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)

Back on the shores of Lake Geneva since the 1990s, the grey heron used to be much rarer in the region. This large fish-eating wader is often found near harbours or river mouths. Perched on its long legs, it can be recognised by its grey body with a large yellow beak. Adults have a small black hoopoe on their head. 

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups visible in winter. 

Photo Credit: Kai Taimsalu

Anatidae: Swans, Geese, Ducks

Mute swan (Cygnus olor)

Originally from Asia, swans were imported to Geneva in 1837. They then gradually colonised the shores of Lake Geneva. Males and females can be distinguished by the "tubercle" above the beak, which is swollen in the male and rather flat in the female. To feed, the Swan tilts its body and takes advantage of its long neck to graze on aquatic plants at the bottom of the water. ♣

Observation period: All year round.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

The Mallard is a must on Lake Geneva. During the breeding season (winter and spring) the male is easily spotted by its green head. The female is more discreet. The bluish mirror on the wing is a good criterion for spotting her. Once the mating season is over, the male will adopt a duller plumage, similar to that of the female. the female. It differs, however, in having slightly darker plumage and a more yellow bill than the female. ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups visible in winter.

Gadwall (Anas strepera)

Slightly smaller than its green-necked cousin, the Gadwall takes its name from its tendency to "scoop" food from other ducks. This is why it is regularly seen near groups of Coots or Red-crested Nets.

The male has a finely zebra-striped grey coat with a white mirror on the wing. This white mirror is also present on the female and is a good criterion for distinguishing the species. ♣

Observation period: Autumn, winter and spring.

Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

Not so long ago, it was rare to see the Red-crested Pochard. This beautiful red-headed bird has the particularity of migrating from East to West and not from North to South like most birds. The appearance of the Red-crested Pochard on Lake Geneva is not due to chance, but to the improvement in the quality of the waters of Lake Geneva following, among other things, the ban on phosphates in washing powder. As a result, the diversity of aquatic plants has evolved, and characeae, macro-algae that thrive in poor water, have become more common. in nutrients, have developed strongly. These macrophytes are the preferred food of the Red-crested Nets. The species is therefore a good indicator of changes in water quality. Initially present only in winter, the species now breeds on Lake Geneva. ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups in winter.

Changes in Red-crested Pochard populations in relation to those of characea on Lake Geneva.
Source : Changes in coastal biological communities and fish stocks in Lake Geneva, 2013

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

The scaup is a species that breeds in Siberia and migrates to Western Europe for the winter. The appearance of wintering scaup populations is directly linked to the arrival of the zebra mussel on Lake Geneva, which the species is fond of. The species has also been breeding for a number of years. In the In wintering groups, the Tufted Duck regularly mingles with the Greater Scaup and the rarer Ferruginous Duck. These 3 species tend to be nocturnal. They rest during the day and fish from dusk. ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups visible in winter.

Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)

The Ferruginous Duck is a winter visitor from Siberia. Still very rare in the early 2000s, this scaup is now present in small numbers around Lake Geneva, following a change in the species' migratory routes. Wintering groups remain faithful to one site from one winter to the next. Like the Scaup, this species tends to be nocturnal in its activities.

Photo credit: Kai Taimsalu

Goosander (Mergus merganser)

Often confused with the great crested grebe, the goosander has a larger, more elongated body. The female is uniformly grey with a ruffled reddish-brown head. The male has white flanks and a black back and head. A fish-eater, the Merganser's legs are particularly set back to act as propellers underwater. Goosander nest in cavities in old trees near the lake. Once hatched, the chicks jump from the nest before reaching the lake. ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups visible in winter.

Rallidae: Coots, Galinulles, Rails

Common coot (Fulica atra)

This is not a moorhen! Entirely black with slight silver highlights, the Common Coot has a white beak extended by a white forehead patch. It feeds by diving in search of aquatic plants and the small molluscs found on them. ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups visible in winter.

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

The Common Moorhen usually frequents reedbeds, but it can also be found in harbours. Mainly terrestrial, it wanders along banks or dykes in search of molluscs and other macro-invertebrates. In all plumages, it can be distinguished by the horizontal white line on its flanks. Adults have a characteristic yellow and red bill. ♣

Sighting period: All year round, with the harbours more popular in winter.

Larids: Gulls, Seagulls, Terns

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Black-headed Gulls are most often found near beaches, harbours and urban centres. They feed on worms, insects and other small animals found in aquatic plants. Although they are easy to spot all year round, the largest population on Lake Geneva is in winter. The few breeding pairs on Lake Geneva are mainly confined to the Dranse delta (Thonon) and the Grangettes reserve (Valais). ♣

Viewing period: All year round, with larger groups seen in winter.

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michaellis)

Much larger than the Black-headed Gull, the Yellow-legged Gull is a Mediterranean species that arrived on Lake Geneva in the 1960s. Well acclimatised to human civilisation, the species is becoming increasingly widespread around Lake Geneva. Nesting on dykes, boats and even city rooftops, the Yellow-legged Gull brings a little marine touch to the ports of Lake Geneva with its long, plaintive cry. ♣

Observation period: All year round.

Scolopacidae : Waders

Common Merganser (Actitis hypoleucos)

This small shorebird can be seen almost all year round on Lake Geneva. Sometimes called the "hochequeue", the Common Sandpiper wanders along the banks looking for small worms. In the Lake Geneva basin, the species nests in the upper reaches of the Rhône valley, where there are alluvial areas suitable for nesting. During migration and in winter, the Common Sandpiper can be found all around Lake Geneva, where it takes advantage of the calm shores.

Photo credit: Alexis Pochelon

Alkedinidae: Kingfishers

European kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

In winter, you can sometimes catch a glimpse of a turquoise rocket slipping between boats resting in harbours. This is the kingfisher. This small bird nests on the cliffs and steep banks bordering bodies of water. Although a few pairs nest on the shores of Lake Geneva, it is mainly along rivers that it breeds most readily.