About the Little Grebe
The little grebe, also known as the dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The genus name is from Ancient Greek takhus "fast" and bapto "to sink under". The specific ruficollis is from Latin rufus "red" and Modern Latin -collis, "-necked", itself derived from Latin collum "neck".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The little grebe is a small water bird with a pointed bill. The adult is unmistakable in summer, predominantly dark above with its rich, rufous colour neck, cheeks and flanks, and bright yellow gape. The rufous is replaced by a dirty brownish grey in non-breeding and juvenile birds. Juvenile birds have a yellow bill with a small black tip, and black and white streaks on the cheeks and sides of the neck as seen below. This yellow bill darkens as the juveniles age, eventually turning black in adulthood.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Little Grebe sounds like
Where the Little Grebe lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Australia, Niger, Central African Republic.
When to see the Little Grebe
Peak activity in January · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Australasian GrebeTachybaptus novaehollandiaeThe Australasian grebe is a small waterbird common on fresh water lakes and rivers in greater Australia, New Zealand and on nearby Pacific islands.
Least GrebeTachybaptus dominicusThe least grebe ranges in length from 21–27 cm (8.3–10.6 in) (depending on the subspecies) and in weight from 112–180 g (4.0–6.3 oz).
Madagascar GrebeTachybaptus pelzelniiThe Madagascar grebe is around 25 cm long.
Side by side: Little Grebe vs Pied-billed Grebe · Least Grebe vs Little Grebe
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