Dabchick | Hainault Forest

Dabchick

Gachybaptus ruficollis

TQ4590 12/12/2017 ©Raymond Small

During summer the adult is mainly dark on top, with a rufous coloured neck, cheeks and flanks, and bright yellow pointed bill. Colouration hanges in winter to a dirty brownish-grey in non-breeding birds and there is usually a fluffy-looking rump. Juveniles have yellow black-tipped bills, and black and white streaks on the cheeks and sides of the neck. Nests are built on floating vegetation. The breeding call is a repeated weet-weet-weet sounding like a whinnying horse. They dive to catch fish. Chicks are often carried on the backs of swimming adults although they can swim soon after hatching. This is the smallest British Grebe. It is also known as the 'Little Grebe'.