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Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) Alternate name(s): "Little Grebe", "Black-throated Grebe", "Red-necked Grebe", "Dabchick*", "White-bellied Diver" Aboriginal name(s): "ngoonan" (WA) Size: 23-25 cm Weight: 170-270 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Australasian Grebes are one of two small species of grebes in Australia. During the non-breeding season their plumage is dark brown on the back and light brown on the flanks, and whiteish around the vent. During the breeding season the cap of the head and the throat turns black, while part of the back of the neck turns chestnut-brown. The bill turns all-black, with a light-yellow spot on the gape. The eyes are yellow, the legs and feet dark-grey. Chicks and juveniles have a striped pattern on their cheeks and, when young, over their entire body, and an orange bill.

Taxonomy, classification See Australasian Grebe at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Australasian Grebe is available HERE . There are several races of Australasian Grebes, whose range extends from Indonesia (Java), via New Guinea and nearby Pacific Islands into Australia and New Zealand. Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", can be almost anywhere on the Australian continent, including Tasmania, wherever there is fresh surface water, although in times of drought they will avoid the most arid parts of the interior. They are also found on Lord Howe Island. They can be found in almost any type of water - even a small, bare small/farm dam without vegetative fringe will do. Although in principle also present in the arid centre, they will stay there only if/when there is reliable surface water, e.g. in permanent waterholes in watercourses or on farm dams. Where to look? How to find this species? Australasian Grebes are content with very little in terms of water surface to live on - they can potentially be found even on small lakes and farm dams, also in in urban parks - check open water surfaces when the area is undisturbed; look closer to the edges of reeds and other vegetation if there are disturbances around the water's edge.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "novaehollandiae" Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", can be found regularly on water surfaces in large parts of NSW, including inland areas. Australasian Grebes"novaehollandiae", are satisfied with very little water. Even small dams, some 20x20 m in size, are sufficient for the birds to populate. Only during the breeding season protective reeds and/or islands are required. In September 2008 a pair settled in for a while on the reed-overgrown small dams of our property at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri. A pair bred there successfully in 2011/12. In June 2012, in the middle of winter, many Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae" seen by us in ephemeral wetlands near Walgett, NSW, were still (or already) in breeding plumage. We have also received reports of Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", from various parts of QLD and VIC. J. Greaves reports Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", breeding at Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, in January 2015. J. Greaves reports spotting Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", at the Granites Gold Mine, inland NT, in June 2015, and on Kangaroo Island, SA, in March 2016. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", at Fogg Dam NR, NT, in October 2015. Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", have also been reported to us from various locations in VIC. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Australasian Grebes, race "novaehollandiae", at Knuckey's Lagoon, near Darwin, NT, in July 2018.

Photos

Race "novaehollandiae"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Close-up frontal view of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, May 2013]

Close-up near-lateral view of an Australasian Grebe (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, August 2015]

Close-up near-lateral view of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, May 2013]

Close-up lateral view of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Whites Hill Reserve, Brisbane, QLD, February 2019]

Close-up lateral view of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2014]

Lateral view of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

Lateral view of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, July 2017]

Near-dorsal view of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sherwood Arboretum, Brisbane, QLD, June 2017]

Australasian Grebe preening
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]

Australasian Grebe, behind, with a juvenile bird, in front
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, February 2009]

Group photo of several species of water birds - a pair of Australian Wood Ducks (centre), Grey Teals (left and right) and Australasian Grebes (the two smaller birds)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2007]

Group photo of several species of water birds - a pair of Australian Wood Ducks (far left), a family of Grey Teals (centre) and a pair of Australasian Grebes (front)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2007]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of a non-breeding Australasian Grebe

Frontal view of a non-breeding Australasian Grebe after a dive
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2012]

Frontal view of a non-breeding Australasian Grebe flapping its wings (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, May 2016]

Close-up lateral view of a non-breeding Australasian Grebe
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2012]

Lateral view of a non-breeding Australasian Grebe (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Lateral view of a non-breeding Australasian Grebe
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]

The same Australasian Grebe as above, diving head first

Lateral view of two Austalasian Grebes in non-breeding plumage in comparison with a Great Crested Grebe in breeding plumage
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, November 2019]

Something one does not often get to see - Australasian Grebe in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Australasian Grebe
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]

Lateral view of two juvenile Australasian Grebes
[Near Maules Creek, NSW, March 2009]

Near-dorsal view of an Australasian Grebe chick on a small farm dam
[Near Edgeroi, NSW, December 2016]

Here a precocial Australasian Grebe chick seen with one of its parents
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2012]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Oct - Jan

Eggs: 4 - 5

Incubation period: 21 - 24 days

Fledging age: 42 - 49 days

The breeding season depends significantly on geographical latitude. In the tropical north Australasian Grebes breed Dec - Apr. Also in other areas the breeding season may extend into autumn. At Eulah Creek a pair was observed raising three chicks that hatched in March 2013.

Nest

"bungobittah", "malunna" = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Aquatic plants

Height above ground: N/A

Nests usually are floating platforms on water surface, anchored to reeds.

Australasian Grebe building its nest in the middle of a small pond

Australasian Grebe on its nest (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Botanic Gardens, Gold Coast, QLD, September 2017]

Quick-quick-quick, cover the eggs, there's somebody coming! Australasian Grebe leaving its nest in a hurry
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2017]

Australasian Grebe nest with the eggs covered
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2017]

Australasian Grebe nest on a small farm dam when it was full for the first time in 10 years; note how the nest has a flat top - the reeds are covering eggs
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2011]

The same Australasian Grebe nest about 2 weeks later; now it has the form of a crater, because the eggs have hatched...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2012]

... and this little Australasian Grebe chick has emerged
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2012]

This is not a nest yet, but a base upon which a nest can later be built
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2017]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 36 x 25 mm

Colour: Light-brown to dark-brown

Shape: Tapered oval

Due to their absorbent surface, eggs darken significantly during incubation.

3 eggs in a very low-lying Australasian Grebe nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]

By lifting the "lid" of an Australasian Grebe nest one can see the eggs, here a clutch of 4 (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Near Baradine, NSW, 1980ies]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Courtship display of an Australasian Grebe in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, October 2017]

Even on small water surfaces with basically no cover Australasian Grebes can be very hard to spot.

Australasian Grebe watching the birdwatcher (click on image for wider overview)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2019]

Outside the breeding season Australasian Grebes can be observed in large groups.

Part of a group of about 100 Australasian Grebes in breeding, non-breeding and immature plumages
[Split Rock Dam, NSW, May 2013]

Australasian Grebes can re-surface after a dive with only the head showing above water - this way they are very hard to spot when caught out on open water without vegetation for protective cover
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2013]

Watching these Australasian Grebes one could get the impression that the adult bird was teaching the chicks how to dive
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2011]

Food, Diet

Australasian Grebes usually dive to catch their prey, such as small aquatic creatures including crustaceans, up to several metres under water. We have also seen them take insects at the water surface.

This Australasian Grebe has caught a fair-sized fish
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2012]

Australasian Grebe chasing Gerridae water bugs; it was observed not skimming the water surface, but snapping at individual insects at speed
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2015]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

ausgrebe_20200120.m4a	novaehollandiae (NW NSW)	Contact call? Q&A (+ Grey Shrike-thrush)	© MD
ausgrebe_20200120.m4a	novaehollandiae (NW NSW)	Territorial call?	© MD
ausgrebe_20200120_3.m4a	novaehollandiae (NW NSW)	Territorial call?	© MD
ausgrebe_20190929.m4a	novaehollandiae (NW NSW)	Warning call	© MD
ausgrebe_20140401.mp3	novaehollandiae (NW NSW)	Warning call (pair Q&A)	© MD
ausgrebe_20161221.mp3	novaehollandiae (NW NSW)	Warning calls	© MD
ausgrebe_20200120_2.m4a	novaehollandiae (NW NSW)	?	© MD

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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