Least grebe | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Podicipediformes |
Family: | Podicipedidae |
Genus: | Tachybaptus |
Species: | T. dominicus |
Binomial name | |
Tachybaptus dominicus (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
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Range of T. dominicus Subspecies separated by black lines | |
Synonyms | |
Colymbus dominicusLinnaeus, 1766 |
The least grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus), an aquatic bird, is the smallest member of the grebe family. It occurs in the New World from the southwestern United States and Mexico to Argentina, and also on Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles.
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). [2] Weights are variable based on region and subspecies, being smaller in Panama, where males weighed a mean of 129 g (4.6 oz) against the females 116 g (4.1 oz) and larger in the West Indies, where the sexes weigh a mean of 161 g (5.7 oz) and 133 g (4.7 oz), respectively. In Texas, 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. [3] 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.
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 genus, it lacks any chestnut coloring on its neck.
There are five recognized subspecies of least grebe, separated principally by size and color. [4] [5]
Its genus name, Tachybaptus, is a combination of two Greek words—takhus meaning fast and baptos meaning diving, or sinking under. [6] The specific name dominicus refers to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which was formerly known as Santo Domingo. [6] 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 New World; the four other members of the genus Tachybaptus reside in the Old World and Australasia.
Least grebes are found in a wide variety of wetland habitats, including freshwater ponds, lakes, and marshes, slow-flowing streams and rivers, roadside ditches, and mangrove swamps. [4] [7] 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 overgrown. [4] They may choose small, temporary bodies of water to breed, in an effort to avoid predation of their chicks by large fish. [8]
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. [9]
The least grebe eats a variety of aquatic life, including small fish, crustaceans, frogs and aquatic insects. [10] Like all grebes, it pursues much of its prey 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. [11]
Least grebes breed throughout the year. [10] Those in the tropics tend to breed during the rainy season, while active nests have been found in every month of the year in Texas. [8] Each pair builds a compact floating nest of vegetation—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 eggs, though the damp nest material soon stains them with brown. [10] Both adults incubate the eggs, which hatch after 21 days. The striped young are sometimes carried on the adult's back.
The breeding call has been likened to a horse whinnying.
The least grebe, while a species of least concern, experiences a number of predators, particularly early in life. Large fish species and turtles are reported to take young grebes, and bird-eating raptors, including the bat falcon and the golden eagle, have been observed taking adult birds. [8]
Grebes are aquatic diving birds in the order Podicipediformes. Grebes are widely distributed freshwater birds, with some species also found in marine habitats during migration and winter. Most grebes fly, although some flightless species exist, most notably in stable lakes. The order contains a single family, the Podicipedidae, which includes 22 species in six extant genera.
The red-necked grebe is a migratory aquatic bird found in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Its wintering habitat is largely restricted to calm waters just beyond the waves around ocean coasts, although some birds may winter on large lakes. Grebes prefer shallow bodies of fresh water such as lakes, marshes or fish-ponds as breeding sites.
The horned grebe or Slavonian grebe is a relatively small and threatened species of waterbird in the family Podicipedidae. There are two subspecies: P. a. auritus, which breeds in Eurasia, and P. a. cornutus, which breeds in North America. The Eurasian subspecies is distributed over most of northern Europe and northern Asia, breeding from Greenland east to the Russian Far East. The North American subspecies spans most of Canada and some of the United States. The species got its name from large patches of yellowish feathers located behind the eyes, called "horns", that the birds can raise and lower at will..
The black-necked grebe or eared grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It was described in 1831 by Christian Ludwig Brehm. There are currently three accepted subspecies, including the nominate subspecies. Its breeding plumage features distinctive ochre-coloured feathers which extend behind its eye and over its ear coverts. The rest of the upper parts, including the head, neck, and breast, are coloured black to blackish brown. The flanks are tawny rufous to maroon-chestnut, and the abdomen is white. In its non-breeding plumage, this bird has greyish-black upper parts, including the top of the head and a vertical stripe on the back of the neck. The flanks are also greyish-black. The rest of the body is a white or whitish colour. The juvenile has more brown in its darker areas. The subspecies californicus can be distinguished from the nominate by the former's usually longer bill. The other subspecies, P. n. gurneyi, can be differentiated by its greyer head and upper parts and by its smaller size. P. n. gurneyi can also be told apart by its lack of a non-breeding plumage. This species is present in parts of Africa, Eurasia, and the Americas.
The pied-billed grebe is a species of the grebe family of water birds primarily found in ponds throughout the Americas.
The little grebe, also known as dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The genus name is from Ancient Greek takhus "fast" and bapto "to sink under". The specific ruficollis is from Latin rufus "red" and Modern Latin -collis, "-necked", itself derived from Latin collum "neck".
The yellow warbler is a New World warbler species. Yellow warblers are the most widespread species in the diverse genus Setophaga, breeding in almost the whole of North America, the Caribbean, and down to northern South America.
The bat falcon is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found in Mexico, Central America, Trinidad, and every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
The grey-fronted dove is a large New World tropical dove. It is found on Trinidad and in every mainland South American country except Chile.
The copper-rumped hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Tobago, Trinidad, Venezuela, and possibly Grenada.
The chestnut woodpecker a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found on Trinidad and in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The white-chested emerald is a hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Brazil, the Guianas, Trinidad, and Venezuela.
The fork-tailed palm swift or Neotropical palm swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found across most of northern South America and on Trinidad and Tobago.
The Pantanal snipe is a bird in tribe Scolopancinai and subfamily Scolopacinae of family Scolopacidae, the sandpipers and relatives. It is found on Trinidad and Tobago, the Falkland Islands, and in every mainland South American country
The white-tailed tropicbird or yellow-billed tropicbird is a tropicbird. It is the smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It is found in the tropical Atlantic, western Pacific and Indian Oceans. It also breeds on some Caribbean islands, and a few pairs have started nesting recently on Little Tobago, joining the red-billed tropicbird colony. In addition to the tropical Atlantic, it nests as far north as Bermuda, where it is locally called a "longtail".
Tachybaptus is a genus of small birds of the grebe family. The genus name means "quick diving": it is from Ancient Greek takhys "quick" and bapto "I dip". It has representatives over much of the world, including the tropics.
The hoary-headed grebe is a member of the grebe family. It breeds in southern parts of Australia; it winters throughout the island of Tasmania. The bird takes its name from the silvery-white streaking on its black head. It is common in Australia, with a population of about 500,000. Its habitat is similar to that of the Australasian grebe.
The tropical screech owl is a small species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad, and every mainland South American country.
The lined quail-dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
The azure gallinule is a species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.