A little grebe has been confirmed breeding at the Simar Nature Reserve in Xemxija for the second time on record in the Maltese islands, BirdLife Malta said.

Grebes are small wetland birds that look a little like miniature ducks and are annual visitors to Malta in the autumn and winter months. These secretive birds spend much of their time underwater, feeding on aquatic insects and larvae, which they catch by diving.

The chick was first spotted by Charles Coleiro, warden of the nature reserve, last week.

The only other breeding record of a little grebe in Malta was also from the Simar reserve, when a pair raised three young in 2006.

To mark World Wetlands Day today, BirdLife Malta is opening the Simar and the Għadira Nature Reserves to the public. The reserves will be open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow. Entrance is free of charge.

Visitors to Simar may get a glimpse of the little grebes and their chick throughout the following month, together with many other wintering bird species.

http://www.birdlifemalta.org