Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Where is it found?
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Lakes, ponds, rivers and canals
Diet and foraging method
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Dives underwater to pursue prey. Uses aquatic vegetation to hide in and ambush prey from.
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Key adaptations
Little Grebes feet are positioned far back on their bodies which makes them excellent divers and swimmers, but clumsy on land.
Social organisation and mating system
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Usually solitary in winter but may form small flocks.
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During the breeding season, individuals come together and form monogamous pairs.
Did you know that...?
Little Grebes feed their chicks feathers to protect their stomachs from being damaged by fish bones.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Tachybaptus ruficollis vogelartinfo chris romeiks R7F9220" by Vogelartinfo - Own work. Licensed under GFDL 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_vogelartinfo_chris_romeiks_R7F9220.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_vogelartinfo_chris_romeiks_R7F9220.jpg
"Tachybaptus ruficollis MWNH 0137" by Klaus Rassinger und Gerhard Cammerer, Museum Wiesbaden - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_MWNH_0137.JPG#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_MWNH_0137.JPG
"Tachybaptus ruficollis poggei nest and eggs" by Alpsdake - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_poggei_nest_and_eggs.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_poggei_nest_and_eggs.jpg
"Tachybaptus ruficollis nests with eggs" by sébastien bertru - Flickr: IMG_4583. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_nests_with_eggs.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_nests_with_eggs.jpg
"Tachybaptus ruficollis, Parc de Woluwé, Brussels 1" by Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium - Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Parc de Woluwé, Brussels. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis,_Parc_de_Woluw%C3%A9,_Brussels_1.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis,_Parc_de_Woluw%C3%A9,_Brussels_1.jpg
"Tachybaptus ruficollis vogelartinfo chris romeiks R7F9220" by Vogelartinfo - Own work. Licensed under GFDL 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_vogelartinfo_chris_romeiks_R7F9220.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_vogelartinfo_chris_romeiks_R7F9220.jpg
"Tachybaptus ruficollis MWNH 0137" by Klaus Rassinger und Gerhard Cammerer, Museum Wiesbaden - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_MWNH_0137.JPG#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_MWNH_0137.JPG
"Tachybaptus ruficollis poggei nest and eggs" by Alpsdake - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_poggei_nest_and_eggs.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_poggei_nest_and_eggs.jpg
"Tachybaptus ruficollis nests with eggs" by sébastien bertru - Flickr: IMG_4583. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_nests_with_eggs.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_nests_with_eggs.jpg
"Tachybaptus ruficollis, Parc de Woluwé, Brussels 1" by Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium - Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Parc de Woluwé, Brussels. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis,_Parc_de_Woluw%C3%A9,_Brussels_1.jpg#/media/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis,_Parc_de_Woluw%C3%A9,_Brussels_1.jpg