Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
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Maximum longevity: 13.5 years (wild)
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Biology
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Grebes are primarily fish-eaters and the little grebe is no exception, but as it takes smaller fish than others in its family, they can establish themselves on ponds that are too small to accommodate big fish. This gives them a greater choice of habitat and means the little grebe has a more widespread distribution in the UK. However, they are quite shy birds and will often lurk within easy reach of cover along the margins of the water and will dive or disappear amongst the reeds when disturbed.
The usual clutch consists of between four and six eggs, laid in April in a floating nest of vegetation anchored to submerged water plants. Young grebes are frequently carried on the adult birds' backs and are fed with small fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Grebes often give feathers to their chicks, which the young birds swallow in order to form a protective lining to their stomachs. This avoids the possibility of the stomach being damaged by the bones of their fish meals.
Conservation
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The population status of the little grebe in Britain and Ireland is believed to be about 10,000 pairs (1999 figures). However, as the birds are fairly secretive this figure may underestimate the true numbers. The birds enjoy general protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (as amended) in the UK.
Description
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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.
All members of the family are accomplished divers and to assist them in swimming under water the bird's lobed feet are placed well back at the rear of their bodies. In fact, a grebe does not move very well on land and seldom comes ashore except to breed. The little grebe's presence is usually given away by their loud whinnying trill and their 'bee-eep' calls.
Habitat
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Any lake or reasonably large pond in the lowlands with plenty of vegetation is likely to have at least one pair of little grebes in residence. They can often be seen on park ponds, flooded gravel pits and reservoirs, and have also turned up on coastal bays and estuaries.
Range
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The little grebe can be found across most of Britain and Ireland with the exception of Shetland and parts of the West Country. Its European range extends from southern Scandinavia across to the Baltic States, and south to the Mediterranean, Turkey and Israel. The birds also occur in Africa, on the islands of the Mediterranean and across Asia to Japan and Papua New Guinea.
Status
provided by Arkive
Classified as a Species of Conservation Importance (EU); receives general protection in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (as amended).
Threats
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Little grebes are not thought to be threatened in the UK, although they are listed as a Species of European Conservation Concern. As water birds they are susceptible to pollution caused by agricultural run-off and any chemical that may find its way into their habitats.
Brief Summary
provided by Ecomare
The little grebe is not only the smallest grebe species found in the Netherlands, it is also its smallest water bird. In fact, it is no larger than a blackbird. Little grebes are good divers, often taking a 'running start' by jumping upwards before diving under.
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Little grebe
provided by wikipedia EN
The little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), also known as 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".[2]
At 23 to 29 centimetres (9 to 11+1⁄2 inches) in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.
Taxonomy
The little grebe was described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and given the binomial name Colymbus ruficollis.[3][4][5] The tricolored grebe was considered conspecific, with some taxonomic authorities still considering it so.
There are six currently-recognized subspecies, separated principally by size and colouration.[6][7]
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T. r. ruficollis – (Pallas, 1764): nominate, found from Europe and western Russia south to North Africa[8]
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T. r. iraquensis – (Ticehurst, 1923): found in southeastern Iraq and southwestern Iran[8]
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T. r. capensis – (Salvadori, 1884): found in Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and the Indian subcontinent, extending east to Burma[8]
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T. r. poggei – (Reichenow, 1902): found from southeastern to northeastern Asia, Hainan, Taiwan, Japan, and south Kuril Islands[8]
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T. r. philippensis – (Bonnaterre, 1790): found in the northern Philippines[8]
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T. r. cotabato – (Rand, 1948): found on Mindanao[8]
Description
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.
In winter, its size, buff plumage, with a darker back and cap, and “powder puff” rear end enable easy identification of this species. The little grebe's breeding call, given singly or in duet, is a trilled repeated weet-weet-weet or wee-wee-wee which sounds like a horse whinnying.
Distribution
This bird breeds in small colonies in heavily vegetated areas of freshwater lakes across Europe, much of Asia down to New Guinea, and most of Africa. Most birds move to more open or coastal waters in winter, but it is only migratory in those parts of its range where the waters freeze. Outside of breeding season, it moves into more open water, occasionally even appearing on the coast in small bays.[1]
Behaviour
The little grebe is an excellent swimmer and diver and pursues its fish and aquatic invertebrate prey underwater. It uses the vegetation skilfully as a hiding place.
Like all grebes, it nests at the water's edge, since its legs are set very far back and it cannot walk well. Usually four to seven eggs are laid. When the adult bird leaves the nest it usually takes care to cover the eggs with weeds. This makes it less likely to be detected by predators.[9] The young leave the nest and can swim soon after hatching, and chicks are often carried on the backs of the swimming adults.[10] In India, the species breeds during the rainy season.[11]
Gallery
Nest at edge of lake in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Little greb In prime breeding attire
Grebe displaying its webbed feet
Little greb in winter plumage
References
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^ a b BirdLife International (2017) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Tachybaptus ruficollis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22696545A111716447. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22696545A111716447.en. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
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^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 341, 377. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
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^ Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William (1979). Check-list of Birds of the World. Volume. Vol. 1 (1 Second ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 143.
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^ Sherborn, C. Davies (1905). "The new species of birds in Vroeg's catalogue, 1764". Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. 47: 332–341 [339 No. 281]. Includes a transcript of the 1764 text.
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^ Rookmaaker, L.C.; Pieters, F.F.J.M. (2000). "Birds in the sales catalogue of Adriaan Vroeg (1764) described by Pallas and Vosmaer". Contributions to Zoology. 69 (4): 271–277. doi:10.1163/18759866-06904005.
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^ Ogilvie, Malcolm; Rose, Chris (2003). Grebes of the World. Bruce Coleman. ISBN 978-1-872842-03-5.
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^ Gill, F.; Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2021). "Grebes, flamingos". IOC World Bird List (v 11.1). doi:10.14344/IOC.ML.11.1.
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^ a b c d e f Clements, James (2007). The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World (6th ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4501-9.
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^ Prokop, Pavel; Trnka, Alfréd (2011). "Why do grebes cover their nests? Laboratory and field tests of two alternative hypotheses" (PDF). Journal of Ethology. 29: 17–22. doi:10.1007/s10164-010-0214-4. S2CID 24531647. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-14.
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^ Finn, Frank (1905). "Notes on the nesting of the Indian Dabchick". Bird Notes. 4: 10–17.
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^ Dalgliesh, Gordon (1906). "Notes on the Indian Podicipedidae". The Avicultural Magazine. 5 (2): 65–72.
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Little grebe: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), also known as 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".
At 23 to 29 centimetres (9 to 11+1⁄2 inches) in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.
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Description
provided by World Register of Marine Species
Length: 20-29 cm. Head rounded, neck short. Colour: Adult breeding: dark brown above, dusky below, with rufous throat and foreneck; adult non-breeding: as above but sides of head, neck and breast brownish buff, throat whitish; juvenile: like non-breeding adult, but head and neck streaked with dull black. Bill stubby, black with a greenish base and cream gape; legs and feet black. Habitat: water bodies, including coastal estuaries, with some emergent vegetation or overhanging plants. ()
Brown, L.H., E.K. Urban & K. Newman. (1982). The Birds of Africa, Volume I. Academic Press, London.
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