Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Little Grebe is a tiny diving bird of Europe, Africa, and Asia that is not normally found in the United States. It dives almost without a splash and may carry striped chicks on its back. A small brown grebe seen in the United States is much more likely to be a Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps).

Appearance

Appearance: This compact, nearly tailless grebe is about 9–11 in (23–29 cm) long. Breeding adults have dark rusty cheeks and neck sides with a pale yellow patch at the base of the bill; nonbreeding birds are paler brown with a dark cap.
Voice: A rapid, high-pitched trill may reveal a bird hidden among reeds.

Look-alikes

Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podiceps

The Pied-billed Grebe has a much thicker, deeper bill that turns silvery with a black band in summer. A breeding Little Grebe instead shows rusty cheeks and a yellow patch at the bill base.

Why they get mixed upBoth are compact brown grebes that sit low in vegetated freshwater.

Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis

The Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) is larger and slimmer, with a thin bill and red eye. In breeding plumage it has a black head and golden ear plumes, while the Little Grebe has rusty cheeks and a yellow bill-base patch.

Why they get mixed upAt a distance both can look like small dark, nearly tailless diving birds.

Three small grebes to compare

	Bill and shape	Breeding face
Little Grebe	Compact; short, slim bill	Rusty cheeks; yellow bill base
Pied-billed Grebe	Thick, deep bill	Black band across bill
Eared Grebe	Slim bill; longer neck	Black head; golden ear plumes

Where it lives

Typical habitats: vegetated ponds
small lakes and reservoirs
slow rivers and marshes
Range: The species lives across much of Europe, Africa, and Asia. It is not normally found in the 50 U.S. states.
Preferred conditions: It favors quiet water bordered by reeds or other dense vegetation. In Britain, some move into more open or slightly salty water in winter.

Behavior

Diet: It dives for small fish, aquatic insects, , , and other small water animals.
Activity: It often stays close to cover and disappears underwater when alarmed.

Life cycle

Nest: Both adults build a floating platform of wet vegetation anchored among water plants.
Clutch size: It typically lays 4–6 eggs at a time, with a recorded range of 2–7.
Incubation: Both parents keep the eggs warm for about 20–21 days.
Fledging: The downy chicks can swim soon after hatching but remain dependent on the adults for several weeks.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

11 sources