Tachybaptus ruficollis

General description: 

The little grebe is also known as the dabchick and is the smallest member of the grebe family. It is a dumpy little bird with a rather blunt-looking rear, a feature often accentuated by the bird’s habit of fluffing up its rump feathers. From a distance, little grebes appear to be all black but through binoculars and in good light, you can make out a chestnut brown patch on the throat and side of the neck. The bird’s flanks can also show pale brown and the rear end of the bird is much lighter, almost white. The corners of the bill have a prominent yellow ‘gape’ mark. In winter, the birds lose this summer plumage and become pale buff on their lower quarters while their back is a dirty brown. Chicks are covered in light grey down and have a distinctive striped head and neck like most young grebes.

Conservation status: 

Not Threatened.

Diagnostic description: 

The little grebe is also known as the dabchick and is the smallest member of the grebe family. It is a dumpy little bird with a rather blunt-looking rear, a feature often accentuated by the bird’s habit of fluffing up its rump feathers. From a distance, little grebes appear to be all black but through binoculars and in good light, you can make out a chestnut brown patch on the throat and side of the neck. The bird’s flanks can also show pale brown and the rear end of the bird is much lighter, almost white. The corners of the bill have a prominent yellow ‘gape’ mark. In winter, the birds lose this summer plumage and become pale buff on their lower quarters while their back is a dirty brown. Chicks are covered in light grey down and have a distinctive striped head and neck like most young grebes.

Behaviour: 

Size: 

25-29 cm, 130-236 g

Phylogeny: 

Taxonomy:

    Colymbus ruficollis Pallas, 1764, Holland. Formerly included in Podiceps. Forms superspecies with T. novaehollandiae and T. rufolavatus, both of which have been considered races of present species. Extensive hybridization with latter, and occasionally with T. pelzelnii. Validity of race vulcanorum doubtful. Nine subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution: 

Subspecies and Distribution:

    *ruficollis (Pallas, 1764) - Europe E to Urals, NW Africa. *iraquensis (Ticehurst, 1923) - Iraq, SW Iran. *capensis (Salvadori, 1884) - Africa S of Sahara, Madagascar; Caucasus through India and Sri Lanka to Burma. *poggei (Reichenow, 1902) - SE & NE Asia, Hainan, Taiwan, Japan and S Kuril Is. *philippensis (Bonnaterre, 1791) - N Philippines. *cotabato (Rand, 1948) - Mindanao (SE Philippines). *tricolor (G. R. Gray, 1861) - Sulawesi to Seram and N New Guinea; Lombok to Timor. *vulcanorum (Rensch, 1929) - Java to Timor. *collaris (Mayr, 1945) - NE New Guinea to Bougainville I (Solomon Is).
Habitat: 

Marshes, ponds, lakes, canals, slow-moving rivers, ponds, gravel pits etc. also coasts and estuaries (not if strong waves). Prefer shallow water (less than one metre) and muddy bottoms with dense submerged vegetation; often found on small water areas.

Trophic strategy: 

Insects and insect larvae, also molluscs, crustaceans, amphibians, small fish. Dive for food, also swimming with head submerged, and taking food from surface or emergent vegetation.

Reproduction: 

Variable breeding season, depends on water level and growth of emergent vegetation. Western Palearctic - February to September (peak April to June); Japan - May to July, occasionally October to February; tropical Africa all months. Nest building and incubation (20-21 days) by both parents, usually 4-6 eggs, hatching asynchronous, young precocial and semi-nidifugous, both parents care for and feed, may be carried on back when small. Fledge 44-48 days, independant 30-40 days. Two broods, possibly occasionally three, with replacement laid if clutch lost.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith