The smallest of the grebes are much rounder and stockier than relatives. This shape is due to the lack of a tail and the habit of fluffing feathers on the back of the body.
natural born divers
Little grebes dive skillfully. They glide under water without disturbing the integrity of the surface, or dive vigorously, creating splashes with paddle feet. Dives last up to half a minute. If alarmed, the little grebe will dive into the water, leaving only the head above the water.
Features of marriage behavior
From time to time, males show tough spring rivalry:
This behavior is followed by attacks. In battle, rivals raise their chests to the chest in a vertical position, attack their paws and strike the beaks. Females lay four to seven eggs, striped young ride on the backs of their parents.
Where do little toadstools live
Little grebes live in ponds, small lakes, flooded gravel pits. Birds visit gutters, estuaries and lower reaches of rivers. Grebes create small colonies in freshwater lakes with dense vegetation throughout Europe, most of Asia and Africa, New Guinea. In winter, they move to open or coastal waters, but migrate only in those parts of the range where the water freezes.
Little grebes return to nesting sites in March. Nests are floating, made from weeds, mostly taken from under the water. Several platforms are built until one of them turns into a nest.
Like all grebes, the small subspecies nests at the edge of the water, as the paws are laid far back, and the bird does not walk well. It is difficult to notice small giggles, since they spend most of the time, hiding in coastal vegetation.
Species characteristics of appearance
In adults of small gags, black color on their heads, nape, chest and back. Cheeks, throat and neck are dark red-brown, sides dark brown. A small yellow spot at the base of the beak is noticeably distinguished. The rest of the beak is black with a pale tip. They have large dark green legs and lobed fingers, a reddish-brown rainbow shell of the eyes.
Young birds are paler than adults, with a dark color on their heads, the back of the head and back, they have yellowish-brown cheeks, the side sides of the neck, side, chest and lower neck are reddish-brown. Darker and lighter patterned marks remain visible on their heads to the first winter molting.
