Little grebe

Introduction: Little grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) or dabchicks, can most often be found in fresh water, saltpans and in estuaries. Rarely found in the sea, they prefer locations such as lakes, dams, small ponds, slow moving rivers and streams and ephemeral pans with some overhanging vegetation.

Distribution: Throughout most of Namibia including Etosha National Park, Caprivi, Rundu, Skeleton Coast and northern Namib Desert, Orange River and central and northern regions of the country.

Diet: Mostly dives eel-like fish, other small fish, frogs, tadpoles, small crustaceans and molluscs and aquatic insects.

Description: Often confused with the black-necked grebe, which is larger with a longer neck and longer, more pointed bill. Ruficollis is Latin for 'rufous or red-necked'.

Breeding: Between 2 and 8 eggs are laid on a floating pile of water plants between February and June and incubated for around 19 days.

Size: 20cm.

Weight: 170g.