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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
The little grebe rarely comes onto land.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Little grebe
- Scientific name
- Tachybaptus ruficollis
- Japanese name
- カイツブリ
- Group
- Birds
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Podicipediformes
- Family
- Podicipedidae
- Genus
- Tachybaptus
It is often mistaken for a duck, but it belongs to a different group of birds. It lives on ponds, rivers, and other waters.
Each toe has its own fin-like web, called a lobed foot. Its feet sit far back on its body, which helps it dive and catch fish and other food.
It builds its nest from piled-up water plants, so the nest looks as if it is floating on the water.
How the Little grebe lives
It often dives when startled or escaping, too. In northern Japan, it moves to warmer areas in winter. During the breeding season, it gives a loud, high-pitched call.
日本野鳥の会Basic data
- Size
- Total length: about 26 cm
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp, aquatic insects, and other small animals
- Range
- Japan, Asia, Europe, and Africa excluding the Sahara
Where the Little grebe has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- カイツブリ
- 简体中文
- 小䴙䴘
- 繁體中文
- 小鸊鷉
- 한국어
- 논병아리
- Español
- Zampullín común
- Français
- Grèbe castagneux
- Deutsch
- Zwergtaucher
- Português (Brasil)
- Mergulhão-pequeno
- Italiano
- Tuffetto
- العربية
- غطاس صغير
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Titihan telaga
- Tiếng Việt
- Le hôi
- Русский
- Малая поганка
- Türkçe
- Küçük batağan
- ไทย
- นกเป็ดผีเล็ก
- বাংলা
- ডুবুরি
- اردو
- چھوٹی پن ڈبی
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 井の頭自然文化園 — カイツブリChecked: 2026-11-03
- 日本野鳥の会 — カイツブリChecked: 2026-11-05
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Little grebe, look for this
- Look for its pointed bill.
- You may see striped chicks.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
日本野鳥の会EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Little grebe
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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