In North America, it breeds on shallow lakes in Canada and Alaska and winters mainly along the coast. It dives for fish and crustaceans.
In breeding plumage, it has pale cheeks, a black cap, a yellow bill, and a chestnut-red neck. The red neck is absent outside breeding plumage, and the head pattern is less distinct in immatures.
It dives for fish and crustaceans. The pair builds a floating nest from aquatic plants, and newly hatched chicks may ride on a parent’s back.
In North America, both sexes choose the site and build a plant nest anchored to vegetation or piled up from the lake bottom. Clutches contain 1–9 eggs; both parents incubate and care for the chicks.
In North America, small fish are usually swallowed whole, headfirst, underwater. Larger fish and crustaceans are brought to the surface and shaken or bitten before swallowing.
North American juveniles show striped faces and reddish chestnut necks.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.