Roller (Coracias garrulus)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Unmistakable if seen well. Corvoid-like at a distance, and may be mistaken for Jay if no plumage characters are visible. Tail is however quite a bit shorter, and wings slightly longer. Flight-feathers dark, contrasting with turquois coverts, both below and above. Underparts especially striking in flight, being pale blue (sometimes seemingly white) all over, except dark flight-feathers and base of tail. Bill heavy. Immature duller than adults with faint streaked breast and slightly rufous coverts. Wing-beats deep and regular. Flies mostly in a straight line. Migrating birds move in characteristic procession-like formations.
Sound:Various dry rasping, sometimes mewing, sounds and short clicks: "ahrahrahrahrahrahrahr" or pulse of clicks: "trrrtrrrrtrr". Also a clearer raptor- or jay-like descending "piiuu".
Display calls:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSmall, dark grebe with bright yellow gape, short neck and bill. Winter plumage paler than summer, with chestnut flanks, neck and cheeks, giving much less contrast between upper- and underparts than in Slavonian Grebe. Fluffy, pale stern. No crest or tufts/tippets and no white markings on wings.
Sound:Relatively vocal compared to many other grebes. Call; sometimes a single quite clear high pitched "dydlylyyt". More often combined into longer phrases with harsher quality, oscillating like laughter and travelling up and down in pitch in agitated motion. Reminiscent of female Cuckoo.
Display:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC