By Eliana Patt

Least Grebe
Tachybaptus dominicus

A flash of movement, and the little bird is bobbing at the surface again.

Unlike the last few times it has done this, the bird does not dart below the water after a few moments. Instead, it begins to preen itself, stretching out its bizarre feet and flashing the small white mark below its bill. The early light of dawn catches in its brightly colored eye.

To those of us in Travis County, this bird is an expected sight, if not a particularly common one. Least Grebes have undergone a striking range expansion in the last several decades, pushing north from along Texas’s southern coast and interior. Relatively recent arrivals to the county, Least Grebes are difficult to find in Austin, but can be spotted if you’re lucky- and you know what to look for.

While the morning light has certainly made the colors look warmer, a non-breeding Least Grebe is really a rather neutral shade of gray. Photo by Eliana Patt

Least Grebes, as their name might suggest, are the smallest member of the grebe family, weighing in at an average of barely six to as low as under three ounces, and rarely measuring more than ten inches in length. Unlike some of their flashier cousins, they do not exhibit bright ‘ears’ or striking patterns upon their bills. Instead, their breeding plumage is a dark gray with an almost metallic luster, a near match for the slightly lighter shade (with the addition of a small white marking) sported outside of the breeding season. At either time of year, the only pop of color is the vivid yellow of their eyes.

In the depths of winter, three out of the twenty-two species of grebe generally call Travis County home. A Least Grebe is best distinguished from these other two species (Eared and Pied-Billed Grebes) by its diminutive size, its bill shape, and its overall uniform gray color. During other parts of the year, a lucky birdwatcher might catch sight of a Horned Grebe, lost from further to the east. The most ridiculous relatives of the Least Grebe, however- the closest group to the grebe family as a whole- are, absurdly enough, the flamingos.

Can you spot the feet? Photo by Eliana Patt

Unlike their vivid pink cousins, the feet of grebes aren’t webbed. Instead, their toes are lobed, similar to those of American Coots. Despite this strange adaptation, one which sets them instantly apart from most other diving birds, grebes are well-suited to a life on the water. In fact, the legs of all grebes- including the Least Grebe- are set so far back on their body that, like loons, they often struggle to walk.

Least Grebes spend most of their lives in slow-moving bodies of water, especially those with heavy vegetation cover. Here in Travis County, the best place to find these secretive birds outside of the breeding season is the ponds our very own Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory. If you are keen to search for these tiny silver delights, keep your eyes peeled- a sharp observer there might also be able to spot a number of other species, including Wilson’s Snipes, Crested Caracaras, Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks, and many more!

Sources:
Least Grebe | The Texas Breeding Bird Atlas  A&M’s Texas Breeding Bird Atlas
Cornell Lab’s All About Birds – Least Grebe  All about birds’ Least Grebe Overview

Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Photo by Eliana Patt