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PLATE 10: GREBES AND FLAMINGOS
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis RB, wv
L: 27. W: 43. Small size, blunt-ended body, short neck and bill. In flight, amount of white on
secondaries and inner primaries varies, being obvious in the subspecies capensis (which
occurs in Arabia). Adult has bright chestnut throat and cheeks, and conspicuous yellow gape-
patch. In winter, adult and young paler brown above, buff below, variably mixed with dull chestnut
on foreneck (adult); light gape often reduced or absent. Juvenile has white striped head. Dives
with fast jump; when alarmed dives rather than flies. Flight is only for a short distance, with rapid
wingbeats low over water. Voice When breeding more often heard than seen; distinctive high-
pitched trilling recalling whinny of horse. Habitat Well-vegetated lakes and pools; also estuaries in
winter. Note Passage and winter hatched.Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus V
L: 49. W: 88. Large grebe with long, white slender neck with pink, dagger-like bill held horizontally.
In flight, extended neck and feet are held below line of body; wingbeats rapid, large white patch
on secondaries, white border to forewing and on shoulders along body. Easily visible on open
water and usually submerges smoothly, without leaping. Breeding adult told by black crest and
black and chestnut tippets. Winter plumage lacks tippets, but retains short, dark grey crest; black
lores and narrow white line over eye, making eye clearly visible at distance. Juvenile has black-
and-white striped head and neck. Voice In breeding season, a loud, harsh, far-carrying rah-rah-rah....
Habitat Open freshwater, also coastal in winter. Note Winter hatched; vagrant Oman, UAE.Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis WV, rb
L: 31. W: 58. Small grebe with short, uptilted bill, steep forecrown and peaked head; sometimes
looks puff-backed, recalling Little Grebe. Breeding plumage mostly black (including foreneck) with
golden ear-coverts and chestnut flanks. Winter plumage basically black and white. Uptilted bill can
be difficult to see at distance. In flight long, white wing-patch extending to inner primaries; also lacks
white on inner forewing. Voice In breeding area a plaintive whistle ooo-eep. Habitat Freshwater
lakes and pools, also coastal in winter. Note Has bred Oman; passage and winter hatched.Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus WV
L: 130. W: 155. Very large, long-legged, long-necked, with characteristic bill shape. The white
plumage of adults gradually acquires a pink hue and red wing-coverts. Juveniles, which are half the
height of adults, are greyish with brown markings. Most readily told from Lesser Flamingo by larger
size (but beware, as there is much size variation in Greater) and pink (adult) or greyish (juvenile) bill
with black tip (all blackish-red bill in Lesser Flamingo). Voice Cacophony of deep honks and grunts,
strongly recalling domestic geese. Habitat Coastal lagoons, salt-lakes, mudflats; breeds colonially
on mud banks or in shallow water of salt lakes, building mud-heap nest. Note Passage and winter
hatched.Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor V
L: 85. W: 130. Smaller than Greater Flamingo and generally deeper and brighter pink with all-
blackish-red bill, though very close views show dark carmine near tip. In full adult plumage has deep
rose-pink on face bordering bill (lacking in Greater) and on the long scapulars (pinkish-white to white
in Greater). In flight, shows rose-pink patch across centre of upperwing-coverts, bordered pinkish-
white (in Greater all secondary coverts are rose-pink, but can bleach to white). Iris red (pale yellow
in Greater). Juvenile similar to Greater Flamingo in plumage but blackish bill readily identifies it.
Lesser Flamingo’s smaller size can often be difficult to establish in lone birds; also, immatures of
both species are smaller than adults. In flight, note shorter neck and legs, faster wingbeats and
more uptilted chin than Greater Flamingo. Voice Goose or shelduck-like but wavering (yodeling);
also thin high-pitched notes recalling large gulls on a rubbish tip. Habitat As Greater Flamingo.
Note Regular Yemen; vagrant Iran, Kuwait, Oman, UAE.