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: Uncommon resident
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)
Featured articles:
- An Indonesian Archipelago Wishlist: Birds to Look Out For (Science)
- Local extinctions of Singapore birds (Science)
Featured reports: Dec 2022
Past accepted records in our database:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Little Grebe)
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.