Tachybaptus dominicus
Silhouette: Tisha Mukherjee · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The least grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus), an aquatic bird, is the smallest member of the grebe family. It occurs in the New World from the southwestern United States and Mexico to Argentina, and also on Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles.
The least grebe ranges in length from 21–27 cm (8.3–10.6 in) (depending on the subspecies) and in weight from 112–180 g (4.0–6.3 oz). Weights are variable based on region and subspecies, being smaller in Panama, where males weighed a mean of 129 g (4.6 oz) against the females 116 g (4.1 oz) and larger in the West Indies, where the sexes weigh a mean of 161 g (5.7 oz) and 133 g (4.7 oz), respectively. In Texas, size is intermediate at 139 g (4.9 oz) and 122 g (4.3 oz). Even in the largest races, the least grebe is still smaller and lighter than any other grebe species. Like all grebes, its legs are set far back on its body and it cannot walk well, though it is an excellent swimmer and diver. Small and plump, with a fairly short, sharp-pointed beak and bright yellow eyes, it typically appears quite dark all over.
The breeding adult is brownish grey above with a darker blackish crown and throat. It has a brownish... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santo Domingo | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | |
| 2 | Puebla | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 3 | León | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 5 | San Luis Potosí | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 6 | Fortaleza | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 8 | Vitória | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 9 | Guadalajara | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 10 | San Pedro Sula | 🇭🇳 Honduras |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecological Center of Sonora | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Montreal Biodome | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Least Grebe sighting in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 277th most-seen of the 288 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Least Grebe in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Least Grebe sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
35th of 37
Of the 37 parks where we can rate Least Grebe sightings, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve ranks 35th at under 5%. The best odds are in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park (Mexico, about 20%), Lago de Yojoa (Honduras, about 20%) and Serra da Canastra National Park (Brazil, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Least Grebe is recorded against all the birds logged in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
