Grebes
Little Grebe
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Tachybaptus ruficollis
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Voice
Call
Call
Call
How to recognize it
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25–29 cm long
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Adults in summer: chestnut-red cheeks and front of neck, dark upperparts
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In winter, paler and duller, without rufous cheeks or front of neck
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Good swimmer and diver; hides among aquatic vegetation
About the species
In summer, dark upperparts set off a chestnut-red throat, cheeks and flanks. A bright yellow gape marks the base of its short, pointed bill. Outside the breeding season, the red fades to buff-brown, with a dark cap and back above a pale, rounded rear. The shift gives its winter plumage a softer, less sharply marked look.
It swims among water plants, using them for cover, and dives after fish and other small water animals. At breeding time it gives a repeated, trilled "weet-weet-weet", alone or in a duet. Its legs are set far back, making walking awkward; newly hatched chicks can swim and are often carried on an adult’s back.
It breeds around freshwater lakes and other still or slow-moving waters with plenty of waterside vegetation. It eats insects and larvae, molluscs, amphibian larvae and small fish, moving to more open or coastal water in winter. It migrates only in parts of its range where water freezes.
Where to find
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During the breeding season, listen beside small freshwater lakes thick with vegetation for the Little Grebe's flute-like trill — sometimes given in a duet.
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Along slow-flowing waters with dense emergent vegetation, watch for dives and resurfacing after underwater hunts for insects, molluscs, and small fish.
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Outside the breeding season, look in small coastal bays for a brief swim across open water followed by a dive — coastal sightings are occasional.
