Least Grebe
Least Grebe has surged: up 115% on the route-weighted index since 1972.
About the Least Grebe
The Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus) is a North American member of the Grebes (Podicipedidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the wetland birds.
- Size
- 9–21.5 in long (23–55 cm) — a diving water bird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Marshes, ponds, lakeshores and other freshwater wetlands.
- Diet
- Aquatic invertebrates, small fish, frogs and plant matter.
- Range
- Recorded on 24 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state, most concentrated in the Tamaulipan Brushlands.
- Family
- Podicipedidae · Wetland birds
Notable Least Grebe Trends
No notable trend signals for Least Grebe. See the full index history below.
Least Grebe Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Least Grebe is projected to stay roughly flat through 2028, near 0.00 (95% range 0.00–0.01). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±186%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2025 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2026 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2027 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2028 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Where the Least Grebe Is Detected
BBS routes recording Least Grebe, sized by most recent count.
Least Grebe Population Trend by State
| Texas | +87% | 1972 | 24 |
Least Grebe Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | -72% | 1972 | 11 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | +247% | 2000 | 9 |
Least Grebe Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 115% since 1972.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.