Home › Aves › Podicipedidae › Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
SPECIES PROFILE
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Tachybaptus
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent Europe Africa
DIET
Omnivorous
HABITAT
Wetlands lakes ponds with vegetation
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Podicipediformes
FAMILY
Podicipedidae
GENUS
Tachybaptus
📋 Description
SIZE
23-29 cm long 150-250 g
COLORATION
Dark brown with rufous neck pale underparts
ADAPTATIONS
Short wings for diving lobed feet for swimming
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Wetlands lakes ponds with vegetation
DIET
Omnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent Europe Africa
REPRODUCTION
Lays 4-6 eggs in floating nests incubated 20-21 days
DIET DETAILS
Aquatic insects small fish crustaceans
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Wetland drainage pollution
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Diving Dabblers: Little Grebes dive with 200-gram bodies eating 50 grams of insects daily in Bharatpur's lakes. Their rufous necks are distinctive.
2
Floating Nesters: These grebes cover 3000 sq km in Odisha's wetlands nesting in reeds. Pollution threatens their aquatic prey.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan
Chilika Lake in Odisha
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March Dry season concentrates prey for spotting grebes
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch little grebes diving in vegetated lakes
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