Animalia Life
Tachybaptus dominicus
TAXONOMY
Colymbus dominicus, Linnaeus, 1766, Santo Domingo. Five subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: American dabchick, least dabchick; French: Grиbe dominicain;
German: Schwartzkopftaucher; Spanish: Zampullнn
Macacito.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
8–11 in (20–27 cm); 0.25–0.40 lb (112–182 g), female decidedly
smaller than male, T. d. eisenmanni smallest. Adult breeding:
above blackish, sides of head, and neck gray. Breast and sides
dusky, breast washed with buff, belly whitish mottled with
gray. Eyes pale yellow to orange-yellow; bill black with pale
tip. Nonbreeding duller with white throat, immature with
striped head, brown eyes and pale bill.
DISTRIBUTION
T. d. dominicus: northern Caribbean; T. d. bangsi: Baja California;
T. d. brachypterus: west central Mexico to Panama; T. d.
speciosus: most of South America, including northern Argentina
and southern Brazil; T. d. eisenmanni: western Ecuador.
HABITAT
Usually in water almost overgrown with floating vegetation.
Mostly temporary ponds, but also swamps, shallow lakes and
ditches. Occasionally in mangroves.
BEHAVIOR
In pairs or loose groups, territories sometimes grouped close
together.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Mainly feeds on insects.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Multi-brooded, nesting at any season if conditions are suitable.
Eggs usually 4–6. Incubation period 21 days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened and locally common. Total population at least
20,000.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Photo Gallery of - Least grebe
