Australasian GrebeScientific name: Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Meaning of name: The meaning of Tachybaptus is not known. Novaehollandiae means of New Holland – an old name for Australia.
Aboriginal name: Ngoonan (n’oo’nan).
Distribution: Widespread across Australia but absent from the drier areas.
Description: Up to 25cm long with a wingspan of 39cm.
Notes: The photographs for this species were not taken in the reserves of interest to the FQPB.
References: What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.
Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2 http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal
Photograph courtesy of P. Agar.
This Australasian grebe is standing over its eggs. Photograph courtesy of P. Walker.
Australasian grebes can sometimes be seen carrying their young on their backs.
