Bird call

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) call

A loud, whinnying trill, like a horse laughing, from a small dumpy bird on ponds and slow rivers.

Listen to the Little Grebe call

A field recording of the Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) by Mike Kerry, shared on iNaturalist. Listen for the Little Grebe in wetland habitats.

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Little Grebe
Little Grebe

Sounds similar

Birds that sound similar to the Little Grebe

These birds belong to the grebe family, like the Little Grebe, so their calls can sound alike.

  • Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

    A long whinnying series of cow notes that slows and falls away.

Questions

Questions about the Little Grebe

What does the Little Grebe sound like?

A loud, whinnying trill, like a horse laughing, from a small dumpy bird on ponds and slow rivers. Listen to the recording above.

Which birds sound like the Little Grebe?

The Pied-billed Grebe sounds similar.

Where can I hear the Little Grebe?

SongLark teaches it in its Birds of England course.

How can I learn the Little Grebe call?

In SongLark's Birds of England course, it comes in Level 6: Water & Coast. SongLark teaches it by ear with real field recordings.

Courses

Learn this call in

SongLark teaches the Little Grebe in its Birds of England course. Each course plays real field recordings and brings every bird back for review just before you would forget it.

  • In Birds of England, the Little Grebe comes in Level 6: Water & Coast. That Level is about park lakes, rivers and the seashore.

Learn it with these birds in Level 6 of Birds of England

  • Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

    The classic duck's 'quack-quack-quack', loud and descending from the female; drakes give soft, rasping notes.

  • Mute Swan Cygnus olor

    Mostly quiet; snorts and hisses on the water, and a loud, throbbing hum from its wings in flight.

  • Canada Goose Branta canadensis

    A loud, honking 'ah-honk', given in noisy chorus from flocks on park lakes and in flight.

  • Eurasian Coot Fulica atra

    A sharp, explosive 'kowk' or 'pik'; a black waterbird with a white face shield.

  • Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

    A harsh, croaking 'fraaank!', usually in flight; a tall grey bird standing still in shallow water.

  • Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

    A harsh, screeching 'kraaar' from noisy flocks on lakes, fields and coasts.

  • European Herring Gull Larus argentatus

    The seaside's loud, laughing 'kyow-kyow-kyow' and long calls, now also on town rooftops.

  • Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

    A loud, piercing 'kleep-kleep-kleep', often in excited piping duets along the shore.

  • Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata

    A rising, bubbling 'cour-lee' that gives it its name, haunting over moors and estuaries.

Get SongLark

Learn Little Grebe in SongLark

Install SongLark, sign in, and choose a course that teaches the Little Grebe.

Learn Little Grebe in SongLark Coming soon to the App Store
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