Birds of India - The New Synopsis

A complete checklist of bird species and subspecies found in India

Podicipediformes (Grebes)

Podicipedidae (Grebes)

• Tachybaptus Reichenbach, 1853 Avium systema naturale. Das natürliche system der vögel mit hundert tafeln grösstentheils original-abbildungen der bis jetzt entdecken fast zwölfhundert typischen formen. Vorlaüfer einer iconographie der arten der vögel aller welttheile p. iii Colymbus minor Gmelin, 1789; Type by original designation = Colymbus ruficollis Pallas, 1764
  • 91. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis (Pallas, 1764)
    Original Description: Colymbus ruficollis Pallas, 1764 Adumbratiunculæ. Avium variarum praecedenti elencho insertarum, sed quæ in Systemate Naturæ Illustr. Linnæi nondum extant p.6 no.281
    Alternative Names: Dabchick
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 91a. Tachybaptus ruficollis albescens (Blanford, 1877) [HB#5]
      Original Description: Podiceps albescens Blanford, 1877 Stray Feathers 5 no.5&6 p.486 (Sikkim)
      Taxonomy: IOC and eBird/Clements restricts capensis sensu stricto Salvadori 1884 to Africa and regional birds are under this taxon. See Mlíkovský (2010, in Wells Systematic Notes on Asian Birds 2010 p. 127) for a review.
      Distribution: Entire country from Kashmir in the north till southern tip; both W and E India including all NE hill states. Reported from S Andaman Is. as well.
      Type Specimen: NHMUK#1894.6.20.48 (Holotype).
      Specimens: ZSI, NHMUK, FTLB
    • [Tachybaptus ruficollis poggei (Reichenow, 1902) ]
      Original Description: Colymbus nigricans poggei Reichenow, 1902 Journal für Ornithologie 50 p.125
      Distribution: Ladakh.
      Specimens: ZSI
      Notes: Possibly some of the Ladakh birds may belong to this subspecies. Specimens in ZSI labelled as poggei (ZSI 31299-300) are from Salt Lake, 24 Parganas, W Bengal and has not been examined.
  
  
• Podiceps Latham, 1787 Supplement to the general synopsis of birds 1 p.294 Colymbus cristatus Linneaus, 1758; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1840, A list of the genera of birds, with an indication of the typical species of each genus, p.76)
  • 92. Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus (Linnaeus, 1758)
    Alternative Names: Slavonian Grebe
    IUCN: Vulnerable. WLPA: Schedule-II. CMS: Appendix II.
    Notes: See Brraich & Singh (2021, IB 17 (4): 122).
    • 92a. Podiceps auritus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758)
      Original Description: Colymbus auritus Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.135
      Distribution: Vagrant. Reported from Harike (Punjab), Ramnagar (Uttarakhand), and Dighal (Haryana).
      Notes: No specimens exist. All wintering birds presumed to be from the Asian nominate subspecies.
  
  
  • 93. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena (Boddaert, 1783)
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II. CMS: Appendix II.
    Notes: See Praveen et al. (2014, IB 9 (5&6): 121).
    • 93a. Podiceps grisegena grisegena (Boddaert, 1783) [HB#3a]
      Original Description: Colymbus grisegena Boddaert, 1783 Table des planches enluminéez d'histoire naturelle de M. D'Aubenton p.55
      Distribution: Vagrant. Reported from Leh (Ladakh), Pong (Himachal), Asan Barrage (Uttarakhand), Bharatpur (Rajasthan), Pariej, Nyari (both Gujarat), and Bhigwan (Maharashtra).
      Notes: No specimens exist. Photo cannot be assessed for subspecies as they differ only in size. On range (Praveen et al. 2014, IB 9 (5&6): 121), it is conceivable that all records were of the nominate subspecies as that appears to be the closest population. If and when the species is found in E India, possibility of a straggling P. g. holbollii opens up.
  
  
  • 94. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: High. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 94a. Podiceps cristatus cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) [HB#3]
      Original Description: Colymbus cristatus Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.135
      Distribution: Breeding: Sporadically in Ladakh, Kashmir, W Gangetic Plains, S. Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. Non-breeding: Entire N India from Gilgit, Ladakh and Kashmir till Gujarat in the west, extending east through Indo-Gangetic and Brahmaputra plains with its presence even in Arunachal, Meghalaya and Tripura; Odisha, Chhattisgarh, E Madhya Pradesh, and adjoining Maharashtra, NE Andhra and sparingly further south, exceptionally till Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu).
      Specimens: BNHS, YPM
  
  
  • 95. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis Brehm, 1831
    Alternative Names: Eared Grebe
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 95a. Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis Brehm, 1831 [HB#4]
      Original Description: Podiceps nigricollis Brehm, 1831 Handbuch der Naturgeschichte aller Vögel Deutschlands p.963
      Distribution: Summer: Gilgit, N Kashmir, and Ladakh. Winter: Spreading additionally to N India from Rajasthan, Gujarat and NW Maharashtra in the west till Sikkim, W Bengal, Assam, and Nagaland in the east. Straggler to Kelambakkam (Tamil Nadu).
      Specimens: BNHS
      Notes: Nests reported annually from Startsapuk Tso, E Ladakh. Whether any of those have resulted in successfully breeding is not known.