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Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Not yet photographed by the community

Tiny dumpy grebe; chestnut cheeks and yellow bill patch.

Species Profile

Green List (UK); Least Concern (IUCN)

Lifespan: 5–10 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 25–29 cm, wingspan 43–49 cm; 120–180 g
Habitat: Small freshwater bodies including ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and slow-moving rivers with emergent vegetation and reed beds.
UK Distribution: Found year-round throughout much of the UK, with populations increasing in winter due to continental migrants; resident breeders are supplemented by birds from Europe.
Diet: Primarily aquatic invertebrates including insects, crustaceans, and small fish caught by diving.
Prey: Aquatic insect larvae (chironomids, damselfly nymphs), small fish, freshwater shrimp, and water beetles
Predators: Pike, perch, herons, cormorants, foxes, and birds of prey such as sparrowhawks
Mating Season: April to August
Breeding: Clutch size 4–6 eggs; incubation period 20–21 days; typically 1–2 broods per season; chicks fledge at 44–48 days
Behaviour: Highly aquatic and reluctant to fly, preferring to dive when alarmed; often solitary or in pairs outside breeding season. Produces loud, distinctive trilling calls, particularly during breeding season. Builds floating nests woven from aquatic vegetation anchored to reeds or submerged branches.

Did You Know?

•The Little Grebe is Britain's smallest grebe species, often called the 'Dabchick' due to its habit of diving quickly under water
•Their legs are positioned far back on their body, making them excellent swimmers but very awkward on land
•Adults and chicks have distinctive striped plumage patterns that vary seasonally; breeding birds develop rich chestnut neck patches
•In winter, UK populations can triple as continental birds migrate southward, making it one of the more numerous grebes in British waters
•Little Grebes are largely silent in winter but produce a remarkable variety of loud, trilling, and rattling calls during the breeding season

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