Tachybaptus ruficollis · Irish: Spágaire Tonn

A tiny, dumpy diving bird, often heard before it's seen.

Habitat: Ponds, small lakes and slow rivers with reeds and overhanging cover. | Season: All year

Identification

• Small and round with a fluffy rear end
• Chestnut cheeks and throat in summer, duller brown in winter; short pale-tipped bill

Behaviour

Also called the "Dabchick"; dives frequently and can vanish underwater in an instant, giving a distinctive whinnying trill.

Did you know?

Little Grebes rarely fly to escape danger, diving instead — they can stay underwater for many seconds at a time and often resurface a surprising distance from where they went under.

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