Least Grebe Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesLeast Grebe
Breeding adult
Small dark gray waterbird with a yellow eye and a small thin bill.
© Benny Diaz / Macaulay LibraryCabo Rojo, January 07, 2017Breeding adult
Often sunbathes by fluffing up its rear feathers to expose the black skin beneath to absorb the solar radiation.
© Fyn Kynd / Macaulay LibraryTexas, March 19, 2020Nonbreeding adult
Small waterbird with a yellow eye and fluffy backside. Nonbreeding birds are grayish brown.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryCentral Abaco, Hope Town and Green Turtle Cay, January 11, 2013Nonbreeding adult
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibrarySantiago de Cuba, February 01, 2004Not all videos have sound
Habitat
Found in temporary or permanent wetlands, including ponds, lakes, ditches, and slow-moving rivers.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryGuárico, October 28, 2010Similar SpeciesPied-billed Grebe
Breeding adult
Pied-billed Grebes are larger with a thicker and stubbier bill than Least Grebes, which have a thin pointed bill.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 25, 2013Similar SpeciesPied-billed Grebe
Nonbreeding
Pied-billed Grebes are larger with a thicker and stubbier bill than Least Grebes, which have a thin pointed bill. Nonbreeding birds are browner overall than Least Grebes.
© Wayne Poorman / Macaulay LibraryTexas, January 04, 2017Similar SpeciesHorned Grebe
Breeding adult
Horned Grebes are larger than Least Grebes. Breeding birds have a rusty underparts and golden head plumes whereas Least Grebes are gray overall without head plumes.
© Kyle Blaney / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, June 01, 2015Similar SpeciesHorned Grebe
Nonbreeding
Horned Grebes are larger than Least Grebes. Nonbreeding birds have more white on the chest and face than Least Grebes.
© Tim Kleman / Macaulay LibraryOhio, March 18, 2017Similar SpeciesEared Grebe
Breeding adult
Eared Grebes are much larger than Least Grebes. Breeding birds have reddish flanks whereas Least Grebes are grayish overall in all plumages.
© David Yeamans / Macaulay LibraryArizona, March 29, 2017Similar SpeciesEared Grebe
Nonbreeding
Eared Grebes are much larger Least Grebes, with whitish areas near the back of head in nonbreeding plumage that Least Grebes do not have.
© Charmaine Anderson / Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 16, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Grebes(Order: Podicipediformes, Family: Podicipedidae)
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