Least Grebe
Tachybaptus dominicus
Also known as: Short-Billed Grebe
About This Species
Watch quiet, well-vegetated ponds, marshes and slow backwaters from southern Texas through Central America and much of South America, where this small grebe dives repeatedly for aquatic insects and tiny fish. Its buzzy, whinnying call often gives away its presence before you spot the low-riding silhouette on the water. Breeding pairs build floating nests among reeds, and activity is most visible in calm early morning light when the water is still.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Observe from the shoreline or a boat kept at a distance rather than approaching floating nests or diving birds directly, since grebes can abandon nests if repeatedly disturbed.
- Protections for wetland birds differ across the many countries in this species' range, so treat any specific legal claim with caution and default to giving nesting areas a wide, quiet berth.
- Avoid letting boats or dogs approach reed beds during the breeding season.
LCAvesPodicipediformesPodicipedidae
Seasonal Activity
233,811 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Podicipediformes
- Family
- Podicipedidae
Photo
(c) Ad Konings, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ad Konings
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.