# Little Grebe (*Tachybaptus ruficollis*) The Little Grebe is a small, cute bird that loves to swim and dive in the water. It has a fluffy body and a lovely, soft call that sounds like a little whistle. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Dabchick ![Little Grebe](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Little_Grebe_-_Tachybaptus_ruficollis_15-1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Zeynel Cebeci, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Little_Grebe_-_Tachybaptus_ruficollis_15-1.jpg) ## Appearance The Little Grebe is a tiny, plump diving bird with dark brown upperparts and a distinctive rufous (reddish-brown) neck and cheeks in summer. It has a bright yellow patch at the base of its short, pointed bill and striking yellow eyes, making it visually distinct from other small water birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Podicipediformes - **Family:** Podicipedidae - **Genus:** Tachybaptus ## Interesting facts - Grebe babies can swim and dive just hours after hatching! - It sometimes eats its own feathers to protect its stomach! - Its floating nest might actually move around the pond! - They sleep tucked in their feathers, sometimes floating in open water! ## Special abilities - **Instant Dive Escape:** Little Grebe can vanish underwater in a flash that helps them escape predators quickly. - **Floating Nest Builder:** Little Grebe builds a clever nest that floats on water, anchored to plants for safety. - **Chick Taxi Service:** Little Grebe has a special ability to carry its babies on its back that keeps them safe and warm. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 23-29 cm - **Wingspan:** 40-45 cm - **Weight:** 0.12-0.17 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 19-27 days ## Diet & Feeding This little bird mostly dives to catch tasty aquatic insects and small fish for its meals. - **Primary Foods:** Aquatic insects, Insect larvae, Small fish, Tadpoles, Crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Large fish may ambush adult grebes. - **Eats:** Threespine Stickleback (*Gasterosteus aculeatus*) — Hunts these small fish underwater. - **Shelter:** [Common Reed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-reed) (*Phragmites australis*) — Builds nests among these tall plants. - **Eats:** [Emperor Dragonfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/emperor-dragonfly) (*Anax imperator*) — Devours larvae of this large insect. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Little Grebe? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Little Grebe? 23-29 cm ### What is Little Grebe's wingspan? 40-45 cm ### How much does Little Grebe weigh? 0.12-0.17 kg ### How long does Little Grebe live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Little Grebe move? 45 km/h ### What does Little Grebe eat? This little bird mostly dives to catch tasty aquatic insects and small fish for its meals. ### Where is Little Grebe usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [s’Albufera de Mallorca Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salbufera-de-mallorca-natural-park) — Illes Balears, ES · Park - [Parque Regional del Sureste](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parque-regional-del-sureste) — Comunidad de Madrid, ES · Park - [Guadalhorce River Mouth Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guadalhorce-river-mouth-natural-area) — Andalucía, ES · Park - [Ivars and Vila-sana Lake](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ivars-and-vila-sana-lake) — Cataluña, ES · Park - [Naturpark Arnsberger Wald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-arnsberger-wald) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Doñana National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/do-ana-national-park) — Andalusia, ES · National Park [View all places to see Little Grebe](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/little-grebe) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Little Grebe: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/little-grebe)