English: Little Grebe
Russian: Малая поганка
German: Zwergtaucher
French: Grebe castagneux
Mongolian: Хурган шунгуур
Japanese:カイツブリ(Kaitsuburi)

 

Body length: 23-29 cm

Habitat: Breeds in vegetated margins of often small inland waters (ponds, even ditches) Shy, keeps in cover of reeds and sedges for long periods. Winters on often less vegetated lakes, reservoirs, sheltered coasts of W Europe.  

Identification: Smallest grebe (can be mistaken for duckling!), with shortish neck, very dumpy body, and prominent ‘powder-puff’ rear end; tiny straight bill. Lacks white on wing.

Adult summer: Chestnut cheeks and foreneck, with prominent pale yellow fleshy gape.

Adult winter: General coloration brown and buff, lacking black, grey and white contrasts of Slavonian and Black-necked; foreneck and cheek sandy-buff.  

Juvenile: Like adult winter, but with short dark stripes behind and below eye, and bill-base yellowish-flesh; plumage very faded sandy-buff by first winter.