| Alternative Names |
Dabchick, Common grebe,
Red-throated grebe, Dodaars (Dutch), Grèbe castageux (French), Zwergtaucher (German),
Zampullin chico (Spanish), Zampullin común (Spanish), Smådopping (Swedish). |
| Description |
Weight:
Length:
External Appearance:
- Adult: Eye red-brown, Bill
black, with tip white, base and adjacent skin yellow-green, legs
green-black. Head, hindneck, upperparts glossy black, throat,
ear-coverts,
sides of neck chestnut, lower throat dark brown, sides
of rump
pale tawny patches, tail tuft black, underparts black
with silvery mottling, palest on abdomen, ventral area grey, flanks
washed light brown. Wings flight feathers brown grey, inner web
of secondaries
variable white, coverts
and tertials
dark brown.
- Juvenile: Upperparts brown, underparts
pale, head retains nestling pattern. Bill
horn-brown
- Nestling: Eye dark brown, bill
yellow, faintly red, foot black. Upperparts stripy dark
brown and pale, underparts white.
(B1, B2) |
| Range and Habitat |
- Tachybaptus rufucollis ruficollis Europe, from
British Isles eastward to Urals, also north-west Africa.
- Tachybaptus rufucollis iraquenensis Iraq,
northwestern Iran.
- Tachybaptus rufucollis capensis Africa south of
the Sahara, Madagascar, Caucasus through India and Sri Lanka to Myanmar.
- Tachybaptus rufucollis poggei South-east and
north-east Asia, Hainan, Taiwan, Japan, south Kuril Islands.
- Tachybaptus rufucollis philippensis northern
Philippines.
- Tachybaptus rufucollis cotabato Mindanao
(southeast Philippines).
- Tachybaptus rufucollis tricolor Sulawesi to
Seram and New Guinea, Lombok to Timor.
- Tachybaptus rufucollis vulcanorum Java to
Timor.
- Tachybaptus rufucollis collaris northeaster New
Guinea to Bougainville Island (Solomon Islands).
In London:
In the London Area, a
"widespread breeding resident on most suitable waters, also passage
migrant and winter visitor." Found at a variety of sites
including Rainham Marshes (45 in once count in 2000), reservoirs, gravel
pits, The Wetland Centre (WWT),
and single birds in Inner London
parks/gardens. (J322.65.w1)
Vagrants: northern Norway, Azores, Madeira, Canaries (nominate
race).
Movements: Resident, dispersive or migratory.
Habitat: Marshes, ponds, lakes, canals, slow-moving
rivers, ponds, gravel pits etc. also coasts and estuaries (not if strong waves). Prefer
shallow water (less than one metre) and muddy bottoms with dense submerged vegetation;
often found on small water areas.
(B1, B2, B19) |
| Further
Information |
- Food: Insects and insect larvae, also molluscs,
crustaceans, amphibians, small fish.
- Feeding: Dive for food, also swimming with head
submerged, and taking food from surface or emergent
vegetation.
- Breeding: Variable breeding season, depends on water
level and growth of emergent
vegetation. Western Palearctic
- February to September (peak April to June); Japan - May to July,
occasionally October to February; tropical Africa all months. Nest building and incubation
(20-21 days) by both parents, usually 4-6 eggs, hatching asynchronous,
young precocial
and semi-nidifugous,
both parents care for and feed, may be carried on back when small. Fledge 44-48 days,
independant 30-40 days. Two broods,
possibly occasionally three, with replacement laid if clutch lost.
- Breeding behaviour: Monogamous
pair bond, may be long lasting. Highly territorial while breeding
- Social behaviour: Outside breeding season may be
solitary, in pairs or in loose groups.
(B1, B2).
Organisations (UK Contacts):
Electronic Library (further reading):
General Legislation:
Individual techniques:
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