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Least grebe

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241: 319: 75: 50: 339:, size is intermediate at 139 g (4.9 oz) and 122 g (4.3 oz). Even in the largest races, the least grebe is still smaller and lighter than any other grebe species. Like all grebes, its legs are set far back on its body and it cannot walk well, though it is an excellent swimmer and diver. Small and plump, with a fairly short, sharp-pointed beak and bright yellow eyes, it typically appears quite dark all over. 197: 31: 549:
habitats, including freshwater ponds, lakes, and marshes, slow-flowing streams and rivers, roadside ditches, and mangrove swamps. In general, they prefer bodies of water with significant amounts of vegetative cover, particularly along the edges; they will even use wetlands which are almost completely
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The breeding adult is brownish grey above with a darker blackish crown and throat. It has a brownish chest and pale underparts. It shows a white wing patch in flight. Non-breeding birds are paler with a whitish throat, and immatures are paler and greyer than adults. Unlike all other members of its
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The least grebe ranges in length from 21–27 cm (8.3–10.6 in) (depending on the subspecies) and in weight from 112–180 g (4.0–6.3 oz). Weights are variable based on region and subspecies, being smaller in
521:, which was formerly known as Santo Domingo. As its English name suggests, the least grebe is overall the smallest member of the grebe family. It is the only member of its genus found in the 614:, though the damp nest material soon stains them with brown. Both adults incubate the eggs, which hatch after 21 days. The striped young are sometimes carried on the adult's back. 610:—typically a variety of aquatic weeds—which is anchored to rooted plants in still open water as deep as 1.5 m (4.9 ft). The female lays three to six white 1769: 1764: 586:
under water. During active feeding bouts, it spends an average of 12.5 seconds beneath the surface on each dive, with surface pauses ranging from 2–24 seconds.
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For much of the year, least grebes are found singly or in pairs; however, when not breeding, they sometimes gather in flocks of 20 or more.
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overgrown. They may choose small, temporary bodies of water to breed, in an effort to avoid predation of their chicks by large fish.
1749: 1491: 1553: 1779: 1029: 1631: 993: 974: 905: 875: 833: 744: 1558: 1794: 331:, where males weighed a mean of 129 g (4.6 oz) against the females 116 g (4.1 oz) and larger in the 1514: 1734: 1789: 1683: 1597: 1074: 1046: 1744: 1739: 1478: 1370: 451: 361: 1519: 1379: 1052: 1610: 335:, where the sexes weigh a mean of 161 g (5.7 oz) and 133 g (4.7 oz), respectively. In 1416: 1033: 74: 1421: 287: 703: 1688: 1395: 387: 1010: 1759: 1605: 1015: 635: 1584: 1754: 1675: 1662: 1545: 1403: 1332: 825: 819: 1571: 351:
There are five recognized subspecies of least grebe, separated principally by size and color.
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Least grebes breed throughout the year. Those in the tropics tend to breed during the
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ffrench, Richard; O'Neill, John Patton; Eckelberry, Don R. (1991).
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The least grebe eats a variety of aquatic life, including small
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A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America
672: 639: 583: 575: 567: 116: 400:, Mexico. It is the smallest and palest of the subspecies. 497:. This subspecies is not recognized by all authorities. 678: 513:
meaning diving, or sinking under. The specific name
969:(2nd ed.). Ithaca, N.Y.: Comstock Publishing. 739:by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (2008), 646:are reported to take young grebes, and bird-eating 343:genus, it lacks any chestnut coloring on its neck. 1049:at Neotropical Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) 923:"Diving times of the Least Grebe and Masked Duck" 704:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696571A93571402.en 1716: 849: 847: 845: 801: 799: 757: 755: 753: 234: 1770:Native birds of the Southeastern United States 1765:Native birds of the Southwestern United States 870:. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 185–186. 737:CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses, 2nd Edition 1068: 842: 796: 750: 718: 895: 545:Least grebes are found in a wide variety of 983: 967:A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago 853: 805: 773: 761: 724: 493:: is restricted to the lowlands of western 1075: 1061: 900:. Ithaca, NY: Comstock Press. p. 68. 817: 582:. Like all grebes, it pursues much of its 195: 48: 29: 938: 891: 889: 887: 818:Howell, Steve N.G.; Webb, Sophie (1995). 787: 702: 658:, have been observed taking adult birds. 896:Stiles, Gary; Skutch, Alexander (1989). 622:The breeding call has been likened to a 317: 1717: 984:Ogilvie, Malcolm; Rose, Chris (2003). 884: 602:. Each pair builds a compact floating 525:; the four other members of the genus 505:, is a combination of two Greek words— 1331: 1330: 1056: 920: 914: 865: 811: 1785:Least concern biota of South America 1775:Least concern biota of North America 859: 824:. Oxford University Press. pp.  774:Gill, F.; Donsker, D., eds. (2014). 540: 209:Subspecies separated by black lines 1725:IUCN Red List least concern species 690:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 255:Listen to Least Grebe on xeno-canto 13: 898:A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica 767: 730: 517:refers to the Caribbean island of 14: 1806: 1520:least-grebe-tachybaptus-dominicus 1003: 278:, is the smallest member of the 239: 73: 1750:Birds of the Dominican Republic 1039:BirdLife species factsheet for 988:. Uxbridge, UK: Bruce Coleman. 958: 921:Jenni, Donald A. (April 1969). 679:BirdLife International (2016). 313: 1: 1780:Least concern biota of Mexico 661: 1026:at VIREO (Drexel University) 7: 1795:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus 1047:Least grebe species account 589: 553: 418:, is found in the northern 346: 10: 1811: 1090:: Podicipediformes · 629: 288:southwestern United States 1339: 1299: 1237: 1212: 1187: 1162: 1117: 1099: 1024:Least grebe photo gallery 866:Hilty, Steven L. (2003). 776:"IOC World Bird List 4.2" 634:The least grebe, while a 366:: is found from southern 282:family. It occurs in the 220: 213: 203: 194: 175: 168: 70:Scientific classification 68: 46: 37: 28: 23: 1735:Birds of Central America 1016:Internet Bird Collection 697:: e.T22696571A93571402. 666: 636:species of least concern 617: 398:southern Baja California 1790:Birds described in 1766 854:Ogilvie & Rose 2003 806:Ogilvie & Rose 2003 762:Ogilvie & Rose 2003 725:Ogilvie & Rose 2003 561: 1745:Birds of the Caribbean 1740:Birds of South America 323: 1702:Tachybaptus-dominicus 1671:Paleobiology Database 1658:Paleobiology Database 1371:Tachybaptus dominicus 1341:Tachybaptus dominicus 1041:Tachybaptus dominicus 683:Tachybaptus dominicus 321: 271:Tachybaptus dominicus 179:Tachybaptus dominicus 1261:(or Slavonian grebe) 442:T. d. brachyrhynchus 1254:Great crested grebe 1011:"Least grebe media" 986:Grebes of the World 789:10.14344/IOC.ML.4.2 780:IOC World Bird List 470:Trinidad and Tobago 396:: is restricted to 300:Trinidad and Tobago 226:Linnaeus, 1766 40:Conservation status 1265:Black-necked grebe 1224:Hoary-headed grebe 1199:White-tufted grebe 1139:Australasian grebe 1030:Least Grebe Stamps 868:Birds of Venezuela 472:south to northern 356:T. d. brachypterus 324: 223:Colymbus dominicus 1712: 1711: 1645:Open Tree of Life 1333:Taxon identifiers 1324: 1323: 1229:New Zealand grebe 1174:Pied-billed grebe 995:978-1-872842-03-5 976:978-0-8014-9792-6 907:978-0-8014-2287-4 877:978-0-7136-6418-8 835:978-0-19-854012-0 745:978-1-4200-6444-5 541:Habitat and range 509:meaning fast and 492: 491:& Getty, 1985 455: 413: 395: 365: 261: 260: 232: 231: 161:T. dominicus 63: 1802: 1705: 1704: 1692: 1691: 1679: 1678: 1666: 1665: 1653: 1652: 1640: 1639: 1627: 1626: 1614: 1613: 1601: 1600: 1588: 1587: 1575: 1574: 1562: 1561: 1549: 1548: 1536: 1535: 1523: 1522: 1510: 1509: 1500: 1499: 1487: 1486: 1474: 1473: 1461: 1460: 1448: 1447: 1435: 1434: 1425: 1424: 1412: 1411: 1399: 1398: 1396:267BDB866AB8F090 1386: 1385: 1375: 1374: 1373: 1360: 1359: 1358: 1328: 1327: 1267:(or eared grebe) 1249:Red-necked grebe 1144:Madagascar grebe 1134:Tricolored grebe 1094:: Podicipedidae) 1077: 1070: 1063: 1054: 1053: 1020: 999: 980: 953: 952: 942: 918: 912: 911: 893: 882: 881: 863: 857: 851: 840: 839: 815: 809: 803: 794: 793: 791: 771: 765: 759: 748: 734: 728: 722: 716: 715: 713: 711: 706: 676: 650:, including the 501:Its genus name, 487: 484:T. d. eisenmanni 449: 428:Greater Antilles 407: 385: 359: 322:Breeding plumage 308:Greater Antilles 243: 235: 227: 199: 181: 127:Podicipediformes 78: 77: 57: 52: 51: 33: 21: 20: 1810: 1809: 1805: 1804: 1803: 1801: 1800: 1799: 1760:Birds of Mexico 1715: 1714: 1713: 1708: 1700: 1695: 1687: 1682: 1674: 1669: 1661: 1656: 1648: 1643: 1635: 1630: 1622: 1619:Observation.org 1617: 1609: 1604: 1596: 1591: 1583: 1578: 1570: 1565: 1557: 1552: 1544: 1539: 1531: 1526: 1518: 1513: 1505: 1503: 1495: 1490: 1482: 1477: 1469: 1464: 1456: 1451: 1443: 1438: 1430: 1428: 1420: 1415: 1407: 1402: 1394: 1389: 1383: 1378: 1369: 1368: 1363: 1354: 1353: 1348: 1335: 1325: 1320: 1295: 1271:Colombian grebe 1233: 1208: 1183: 1158: 1113: 1095: 1081: 1034:bird-stamps.org 1009: 1006: 996: 977: 961: 956: 940:10.2307/4083516 919: 915: 908: 894: 885: 878: 864: 860: 852: 843: 836: 816: 812: 804: 797: 772: 768: 760: 751: 735: 731: 723: 719: 709: 707: 677: 673: 669: 664: 632: 620: 592: 580:aquatic insects 564: 556: 543: 446:T. d. speciosus 404:T. d. dominicus 349: 316: 262: 257: 252: 251: 249:Songs and calls 225: 208: 190: 183: 177: 164: 72: 64: 53: 49: 42: 17: 16:Species of bird 12: 11: 5: 1808: 1798: 1797: 1792: 1787: 1782: 1777: 1772: 1767: 1762: 1757: 1755:Birds of Haiti 1752: 1747: 1742: 1737: 1732: 1727: 1710: 1709: 1707: 1706: 1693: 1680: 1667: 1654: 1641: 1628: 1615: 1602: 1589: 1576: 1563: 1550: 1537: 1524: 1511: 1501: 1488: 1475: 1462: 1449: 1436: 1426: 1413: 1400: 1387: 1376: 1361: 1345: 1343: 1337: 1336: 1322: 1321: 1319: 1318: 1313: 1307: 1305: 1297: 1296: 1294: 1293: 1288: 1283: 1278: 1273: 1268: 1262: 1256: 1251: 1245: 1243: 1235: 1234: 1232: 1231: 1226: 1220: 1218: 1210: 1209: 1207: 1206: 1204:Titicaca grebe 1201: 1195: 1193: 1185: 1184: 1182: 1181: 1176: 1170: 1168: 1160: 1159: 1157: 1156: 1151: 1146: 1141: 1136: 1131: 1125: 1123: 1115: 1114: 1107: 1105: 1097: 1096: 1080: 1079: 1072: 1065: 1057: 1051: 1050: 1044: 1036: 1027: 1021: 1005: 1004:External links 1002: 1001: 1000: 994: 981: 975: 960: 957: 955: 954: 933:(2): 355–356. 913: 906: 883: 876: 858: 841: 834: 810: 795: 766: 749: 729: 717: 670: 668: 665: 663: 660: 631: 628: 619: 616: 591: 588: 563: 560: 555: 552: 542: 539: 529:reside in the 499: 498: 481: 456:: is found in 439: 432:Virgin Islands 401: 379: 348: 345: 315: 312: 298:, and also on 259: 258: 253: 247: 245: 233: 230: 229: 218: 217: 211: 210: 201: 200: 192: 191: 184: 173: 172: 166: 165: 158: 156: 152: 151: 144: 140: 139: 134: 130: 129: 124: 120: 119: 114: 110: 109: 104: 100: 99: 94: 90: 89: 84: 80: 79: 66: 65: 47: 44: 43: 38: 35: 34: 26: 25: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1807: 1796: 1793: 1791: 1788: 1786: 1783: 1781: 1778: 1776: 1773: 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443: 440: 437: 434:and southern 433: 429: 425: 421: 417: 411: 405: 402: 399: 393: 389: 383: 380: 377: 373: 369: 363: 357: 354: 353: 352: 344: 340: 338: 334: 330: 320: 311: 309: 305: 301: 297: 293: 289: 285: 281: 277: 273: 272: 267: 256: 250: 246: 244: 242: 237: 236: 228: 224: 219: 216: 212: 207: 202: 198: 193: 188: 182: 180: 174: 171: 170:Binomial name 167: 163: 162: 157: 154: 153: 150: 149: 145: 142: 141: 138: 137:Podicipedidae 135: 132: 131: 128: 125: 122: 121: 118: 115: 112: 111: 108: 105: 102: 101: 98: 95: 92: 91: 88: 85: 82: 81: 76: 71: 67: 61: 56: 55:Least Concern 45: 41: 36: 32: 27: 22: 19: 1340: 1302:Aechmophorus 1300: 1291:Hooded grebe 1259:Horned grebe 1238: 1213: 1188: 1163: 1153: 1129:Little grebe 1118: 1108: 1100: 1040: 1014: 985: 966: 959:Bibliography 930: 926: 916: 897: 867: 861: 856:, p. 34 820: 813: 808:, p. 98 779: 769: 764:, p. 32 736: 732: 727:, p. 92 720: 708:. Retrieved 694: 688: 682: 674: 656:golden eagle 642:species and 633: 621: 596:rainy season 593: 565: 557: 544: 526: 514: 510: 506: 502: 500: 483: 445: 441: 422:, including 403: 382:T. d. bangsi 381: 355: 350: 341: 325: 276:aquatic bird 270: 269: 265: 263: 248: 238: 222: 221: 206:T. dominicus 205: 178: 176: 160: 159: 147: 24:Least grebe 18: 1730:Tachybaptus 1606:Neotropical 1580:NatureServe 1528:iNaturalist 1507:least-grebe 1365:Wikispecies 1286:Junin grebe 1276:Great grebe 1154:Least grebe 1120:Tachybaptus 710:19 November 626:whinnying. 572:crustaceans 535:Australasia 527:Tachybaptus 503:Tachybaptus 424:the Bahamas 333:West Indies 314:Description 304:the Bahamas 266:least grebe 148:Tachybaptus 1719:Categories 1697:Xeno-canto 1165:Podilymbus 662:References 652:bat falcon 608:vegetation 519:Hispaniola 388:van Rossem 1190:Rollandia 531:Old World 523:New World 515:dominicus 474:Argentina 466:Venezuela 420:Caribbean 392:Hachisuka 374:south to 296:Argentina 286:from the 284:New World 204:Range of 155:Species: 93:Kingdom: 87:Eukaryota 1585:2.106061 1572:22696571 1546:10908206 1471:45509026 1409:22696571 1404:BirdLife 1350:Wikidata 1240:Podiceps 654:and the 590:Breeding 554:Behavior 462:Colombia 416:nominate 410:Linnaeus 347:Taxonomy 306:and the 215:Synonyms 187:Linnaeus 133:Family: 107:Chordata 103:Phylum: 97:Animalia 83:Domain: 60:IUCN 3.1 1497:2482044 1391:Avibase 1356:Q953976 1110:Species 949:4083516 927:The Auk 648:raptors 644:turtles 630:Threats 547:wetland 495:Ecuador 460:, from 454:, 1899) 452:Chapman 436:Florida 412:, 1766) 394:, 1937) 364:, 1899) 362:Chapman 189:, 1766) 143:Genus: 123:Order: 113:Class: 58: ( 1689:366615 1676:289522 1663:368271 1650:299432 1637:366615 1611:leagre 1598:342693 1559:174508 1504:GNAB: 1479:EURING 1458:leagre 1432:leagre 1384:leagre 1092:family 1084:Grebes 992:  973:  947:  904:  874:  832:  743:  511:baptos 507:takhus 489:Storer 478:Brazil 390:& 376:Panama 372:Mexico 329:Panama 292:Mexico 274:), an 1684:WoRMS 1624:73384 1541:IRMNG 1453:eBird 1445:54C7J 1429:BOW: 1102:Genus 1088:order 945:JSTOR 826:94–95 667:Notes 624:horse 618:Voice 600:Texas 576:frogs 368:Texas 337:Texas 280:grebe 1632:OBIS 1593:NCBI 1567:IUCN 1554:ITIS 1533:4239 1492:GBIF 1422:9450 1417:BOLD 990:ISBN 971:ISBN 902:ISBN 872:ISBN 830:ISBN 741:ISBN 712:2021 695:2016 640:fish 612:eggs 604:nest 584:prey 578:and 568:fish 562:Diet 533:and 370:and 290:and 264:The 117:Aves 1515:IBC 1466:EoL 1440:CoL 1380:ABA 1032:at 935:doi 784:doi 699:doi 606:of 444:or 294:to 1721:: 1699:: 1686:: 1673:: 1660:: 1647:: 1634:: 1621:: 1608:: 1595:: 1582:: 1569:: 1556:: 1543:: 1530:: 1517:: 1494:: 1484:80 1481:: 1468:: 1455:: 1442:: 1419:: 1406:: 1393:: 1382:: 1367:: 1352:: 1013:. 943:. 931:86 929:. 925:. 886:^ 844:^ 828:. 798:^ 782:. 778:. 752:^ 693:. 687:. 574:, 570:, 537:. 486:– 468:, 464:, 448:– 430:, 426:, 414:: 406:– 384:– 358:– 310:. 302:, 1086:( 1076:e 1069:t 1062:v 1019:. 998:. 979:. 951:. 937:: 910:. 880:. 838:. 792:. 786:: 747:. 714:. 701:: 685:" 681:" 480:. 450:( 438:. 408:( 386:( 378:. 360:( 268:( 185:( 62:)

Index


Conservation status
Least Concern
IUCN 3.1
Scientific classification
Edit this classification
Eukaryota
Animalia
Chordata
Aves
Podicipediformes
Podicipedidae
Tachybaptus
Binomial name
Linnaeus

Synonyms
Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.
Listen to Least Grebe on xeno-canto
aquatic bird
grebe
New World
southwestern United States
Mexico
Argentina
Trinidad and Tobago
the Bahamas
Greater Antilles

Panama

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