Little Grebe

This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Tachybaptus ruficollis

Malay Name: Tetimbul Kecil Biasa

Chinese Name: 小䴙䴘

Range: Found from Africa to Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: ruficollis, albescens, iraquensis, capensis, poggei, philippensis, cotabato.

Local Subspecies: poggei

Size: 25-29 cm

Identification: Small and duck-like. Adult has bright rufous-chestnut head-sides, throat and foreneck contrasting with dark brown crown, hindneck and upperside, yellow eyes and blackish bill with prominent yellow gape-skin. Juvenile has duller plumage, pinkish-orange bill, blackish head with vertical buffish stripes on head and neck.

Habitat: Well vegetated marshes and disused quarry pools.

Behaviour/Ecology: Seldom flies when alarmed, preferring to dive underwater before resurfacing a few meters away.

Local Status: Very rare resident

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)

Featured reports: Dec 2022, Jan 2023, Feb 2023, May 2023, Jun 2023, Jul 2023

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Little Grebe at Lorong Halus. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Little Grebe chick at Lorong Halus. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Little Grebe nest building at Lorong Halus. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Little Grebe at Lorong Halus. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Little Grebe at Lorong Halus. Photo credit: Francis Yap
External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Little Grebe)

References:

BirdLife International. (2019). Tachybaptus ruficollis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22696545A155540155.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Little Grebe. Retrieved on September 27, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/little-grebe.

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