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ENVIRONMENTS FLORA-FAUNA DIDACTICS IMAGES GLOSSARY CREDITS
SCIENTIFIC NAME
COMMON NAME
THUMBNAILS
Kingdom Animalia
Click to hear the call  Click to watch the video
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Ciconiiformes
Family Podicipedidae
Genus Podiceps
Species ruficollis
Classification Pallas
Common name little Grebe
Size 25 - 29 centimeters
Wing Span 40 - 45 centimeters
Male weight 100 - 200 grams
Female weight 100 - 200 grams

Geographic Range Africa, Europe, Asia.
Physical Characteristics it is stocky, it has a little beak with a withe spot on it and a short neck. The upper part of the body is black, the lower one is reddish. The upper part of the head is black and the cheecks are brown. Male and female are similar. During the winter season the colour is lighter.
Call it gives different calls, during the winter season it is usually quiet.
Habitat ponds, lakes, in still waters.
Food habits little shellfishes, insects, larva.
Migration in Italy it is nest building, regular migratory and wintering. Population that nests in Italy is considered sedentary or subject to short drifts.
Nidification it builds little rafts anchored in the middle of the reeds, built with thin reeds.
Riproduction couples are made up during winter. Between April an July female lays 4 - 6 eggs that are hatched for 20 - 27 days by both parents. The chicks are bred by both the parents or by the male only if the female is busy with another hatch.
Status in the lagoon the larger populations can be found in the fish farms in Caorle, Bibione and in the Northern Lagoon: in particular along the Lemene river and the Nicesolo Channel.

Sources  
References Oiseaux.net
I censimenti degli uccelli svernanti in Provincia di Venezia - a cura di M. Bon e G. Cherubini - Provincia di Venezia, Assessorato Caccia e Pesca.
Atlante degli Uccelli Nidificanti in Provincia di Venezia - a cura di M. Bon, G. Cherubini, M. Semenzato, E. Stival - Provincia di Venezia, Assessorato Caccia e Pesca.
Web References http://www.oiseaux.net/
Source of the photo http://alabat.free.fr/entree.htm
Source of the call http://www.birdforum.net/
Source of the video http://www.hbw.com/ibc/

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