LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis

LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis

Dabchick

L 25–29 cm, WS 40–45 cm.
 

IDENTIFICATION 

Smallest and dumpiest grebe, with relatively small, rounded head and small, weak bill often showing very obvious pale gape patch. Swims buoyantly, with blunt whitish stern which is often fluffed up and conspicuous. When alarmed, may partly submerge until only head showing. Adult summer distinguished by chestnut cheeks, throat and foreneck contrasting with otherwise dark brown plumage and pale yellow gape patch. Adult winter/Juvenile distinguished by rather uniform appearance: buff cheeks, throat, foreneck and flanks do not contrast greatly with brown crown, hindneck and upperparts. 

Gape patch not obvious. May be confused with Blacknecked and to a lesser degree Horned, but is smaller, distinctly buff (not greyish or whitish) on foreneck and flanks, with shorter neck (although neck can look quite long when fully erect) and straighter bill, and, compared with Black-necked, has flatter crown (high and peaked in Black-necked) and blunter stern (especially compared with Horned). Even more like vagrant Pied-billed Grebe (q.v.). In flight, typically shows drab brownish upperwing, sometimes with narrow, paler trailing edge to secondaries or at most (in some individuals or races) a dull whitish panel on secondaries. All other grebes, apart from vagrant Pied-billed, have conspicuous white patches on upperwing. 

SEX/AGE 

Juvenile resembles adult winter, but has dark stripes on face and neck. Neck and breast often tinged rufous-brown.

VOICE 

On breeding grounds, gives a distinctive high, shrill, trilling whinny, often rising and falling and not unlike call of Whimbrel. Also a variety of other twittering calls, a sharp metallic alarm call, ‘whit, whit’, and a short, high-pitched contact call, ‘beeh-ib’. 

GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATION 

Slight. 3 races (nominate and capensis illustrated). Races capensis (Egypt, Caucasus to Armenia) and iraquensis (Iraq), especially the former, show more white on secondaries than typical individuals of nominate race.

STATUS/HABITAT 

Common. (In addition to mapped range, has bred Finland, Cyprus.) In breeding season, lakes and slow-flowing rivers with emergent vegetation, and marshes with open water. At other times, also on more open lakes, estuaries and, in some areas, sheltered coastal waters.