Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Little Grebe of the Falkland Islands
- Scientific name: Madagascar Grebe
- Classification: Waterfowl
- Genus and family: Grebes, order Grebes, family Grebes, genus *Lepidoptera*
Vital signs data
- Body length: No verification information available.
- Weight: No verification information available.
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
The main plumage on its body is dark brown, while the upper half of its head is lead-black, resembling a crown.
Distribution and Habitat
It is distributed in the Indian Ocean (including Madagascar and its nearby islands).
They inhabit the vegetation of freshwater lakes and marshes, spend almost their entire lives in the water, and often live in groups.
Appearance
The Little Grebe of Madagascar has a straight, laterally compressed, pointed bill; its nostrils are open and located near the base of the bill; its wings are short with 12 primary flight feathers, the first of which is vestigial, and the fifth secondary flight feather is missing. The tail has only some short, soft down feathers, or almost none. The feet are positioned near the rump. The tarsi are laterally compressed, adapted for diving; all four toes have broad, webbed flaps; the claws are blunt and broad, the inner edge of the middle toe is serrated, and the hind toe is short and positioned higher than the other toes, or may be absent. The plumage is short and dense, providing excellent moisture resistance; the feathers have accessory feathers, and the preen gland is feathered; the sexes are similar. The skull is either cleft palate or fully nasal; both lack basal wing processes; the digestive system lacks a cecum; the chicks are precocial.
The main feathers of the body are dark brown, the upper half of the head is lead-black like a crown, the area below the eyes, the cheeks, and the front of the neck are grayish-white, and the rest of the neck is orange-red.
Detailed introduction
The Madagascar Grebe, scientifically known as *Tachybaptus pelzelnii*, is a flightless bird. It swims using its legs instead of its wings and rarely walks on land. It can dive to forage, typically diving to depths of only 1-4 meters. Its diet consists mainly of aquatic insects and larvae, crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, and small plants.
When breeding, the Little Grebe of Madagascar builds floating nests in the grassy areas near the water, using reeds, weeds, and some clay. Each nest contains 2-7 white eggs, often stained with dirt. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs. The eggs hatch after about 25 days. The chicks are precocial, covered in dense downy feathers, and can move freely. For the first 2-3 weeks after hatching, the parents often carry the chicks on their backs; if startled and diving, they tuck them under their wings.
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