Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Australasian Grebe, Busselton, Western Australia, October 2013 - click on image for a larger view Australia
The Australasian Grebe is distributed in Australia including Tasmania, New Zealand, New Guinea and nearby islands. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found in a variety of water bodies but needs a shore with vegetation when breeding.

Australasian Grebe, Ormiston Gorge, Northern Territory, Australia, October 2013 - click on image for a larger view It is similar to Little Grebe T. ruficollis but has less extensive chestnut on the neck and orange-yellow iris.

It breeds in eastern, southern and south-western Australia but migrates to the north and water bodies in the interior when not breeding.
Australasian Grebe, Kakadu, Northern Territory, Australia, October 2013 - click on image for a larger view Photos 1 and 2 show birds in breeding plumage while photos 3 and 4 are of birds in non-breeding plumage. Non-breeding plumage is quite similar to that of Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus.

The voice is a short trill.
Australasian Grebe, Kakadu, Northern Territory, Australia, October 2013 - click on image for a larger view
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