Madagascar Grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii)
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Madagascar Grebe

Tachybaptus pelzelnii (Hartlaub, 1861)

25 cmLength184 gWeight

The Madagascar grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii) is a grebe found only in western and central Madagascar.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Madagascar

Endangered

Where and when it's recorded

Madagascar Grebe has been recorded at 15 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Andasibe-Mantadia NPMadagascar291 records
  2. Parc de TsarasaotraMadagascar110 records
  3. PerinetMadagascar64 records
More places
  1. Andasibe Mantadia National ParkMadagascar45 records
  2. Ankarafantsika NP – Lac RavelobeMadagascar37 records
  3. Ankarafantsika NPMadagascar16 records
  4. Analamazaotra Forest StationMadagascar9 records
  5. Ranomafana NPMadagascar5 records
  6. Ankarafantsika Park HeadquartersMadagascar4 records
  7. Le Relais de la Reine/Le Jardin du RoyMadagascar4 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Madagascar

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Madagascar grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii) is a grebe found only in western and central Madagascar. The binomial name commemorates the Austrian ornithologist August von Pelzeln. It is classified as endangered by the IUCN, with a population of less than 5,000.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Madagascar Grebe?

The Madagascar Grebe is about 25 cm long and weighs around 184 g.

Where does the Madagascar Grebe live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Madagascar. It is most often recorded in Madagascar.

When is the best time to see the Madagascar Grebe?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Madagascar Grebe endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Madagascar Grebe as Endangered.

What does the Madagascar Grebe eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Madagascar Grebe in?

It belongs to the family Grebes (Podicipedidae), order Podicipediformes.

At a glance

Length
25 cm
Weight
184 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
On the water surface
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Endangered
More measurements
Wing
94 mm
Tail
28 mm
Bill
24 mm
Tarsus
36 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Madagascar

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Grebes Podicipedidae
Genus
Tachybaptus

Other birds in the genus Tachybaptus

Little GrebeLittle GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisAustralasian GrebeAustralasian GrebeTachybaptus novaehollandiaeLeast GrebeLeast GrebeTachybaptus dominicusPied-billed GrebePied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWhite-tufted GrebeWhite-tufted GrebeRollandia rollandTiticaca GrebeTiticaca GrebeRollandia micropteraHoary-headed GrebeHoary-headed GrebePoliocephalus poliocephalusNew Zealand GrebeNew Zealand GrebePoliocephalus rufopectusGreat GrebeGreat GrebePodiceps majorRed-necked GrebeRed-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
Madagascar Grebe

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by markus lilje. ↗

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