Other name for the Little Grebe is Dabchick , Australasian Grebe and Diver.
The little grebe stands about ten inches tall at adulthood, has a little, drab, brown, body. Dusky gray is the color of its head and the back of its long and slim neck. The bird's chin and throat are ashen in color. The little grebe's feathers are soft on their back, silky on its chest and stomach, with a crest or ear-tufts on its head. Its beak, legs and feet are black and the iris of their eye is crimson. The Little Grebe's tail is very short and reminds you of a cottontail. Even with their small and narrow wings, they fly rapidly, covering great distances. Because their legs are positioned far back on the body, they stand and move on land with difficulty. Little grebes are continuous and frequent divers. They will submerge with the least bit of commotion on the water's surface. Other times they will jump and plunge into the water making a splash with their big feet. In some cases they appear on the surface quickly and sometimes they will stay under water up to 30 seconds. If frightened, the Little Grebe will immerse only its body beneath the surface until only its head stays above water's surface.
In the breeding season, the Little Grebe has a black head with a rust colored band on either side of its head and neck and a yellow patch on the base of its beak.
Both sexes are similar in plumage and the young birds lack a bald spot on its crown with brown eyes. When in the molting phase they become temporarily flightless.
The Little Grebe will set up housekeeping on any of the lakes and open farm lands with irrigation, wetlands, small ponds, backwaters in slow-moving streams and rivers or wherever they find appropriate habitats. They establish territory on any suitable patch of ground. Birders observe some Little Grebes on most sections of open water throughout the year. The Little Grebe inhabits most of Eurasia including Eastern Pacific islands and Africa but keeps away from the dry Kalahari Desert.
Also, they stay in flocks of up to several hundred birds at other times of the year. Birders often see the Grebes getting some rays on bright, days having no wind, placing their back to sun. After diving for food the bird will sun bathe for about ten to fifteen seconds. They seem to associate with other sea birds for the benefit of finding food. At sunset many birds
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