The smallest grebe in the Americas. Limited to southern US.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The least grebe, 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.
Source: Wikipedia — Least grebe Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Tiny, dark grebe with a slender black bill, a fluffy rear end, and a striking golden-yellow eye.
Similar species. Pied-billed Grebe is larger and browner with a stout pale bill and a dark eye; the Least's small size and yellow eye are diagnostic.
Voice. A high, nasal, chattering trill and a sharp 'beep'.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Fish, aquatic invertebrates caught by foot-propelled dives.
Behavior. The smallest grebe in the Americas; a tame resident of small ponds and ditches in south Texas and the tropics, diving for insects and small fish.
§ Range
South Texas, southern Florida
§ Habitat
Small ponds
§ Threats
Habitat loss.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the least grebe is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support southern Texas conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Least grebe
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Tachybaptus dominicus
- IUCN Red List — search for Tachybaptus dominicus
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Tachybaptus dominicus
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
