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Birds › Garden pond › Little Grebe

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Builds a floating nest of water plants, and its striped chicks often ride on a parent's back.

Where to see it for real: Dives for food on quiet ponds with plenty of plants along the edge.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Garden pond habitat (East Asia, at the Summer Palace in Beijing).

Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0, via iNaturalist. Cut out from the original photo.

Little Grebe facts

Family
Grebes
Length
11 in (27 cm)
Wingspan
17 in (42 cm)
Weight
6.3 oz (180 g)
Diet
Small fish, water insects and larvae caught by diving.
Range
Europe, Asia, Africa and New Guinea, on ponds and slow rivers.
Nest
A floating platform of water plants anchored to reeds.
Song
A loud, whinnying trill.
Active
by day
Status
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Little Grebe sounds like

Recording 1: Owen Camus, CC0, original on xeno-canto. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.
Recording 2: Camille Vacher, CC BY 4.0, original on xeno-canto. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.

More: bird songs and calls.

More birds of the garden pond

Mandarin DuckMandarin DuckGarden pondCommon KingfisherCommon KingfisherGarden pondLittle EgretLittle EgretGarden pondChinese Pond HeronChinese Pond HeronGarden pondBlack-crowned Night HeronBlack-crowned Night HeronGarden pondAzure-winged MagpieAzure-winged MagpieGarden pond

Spot the Little Grebe yourself

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