Scientific name: Gavia stellata (Pontoppidan, 1763)
Bird group: Divers
Field characters. 53-69 cm. Smallest diver. In breeding plumage with uniform dark grey-brown upperparts, grey head and sides of neck, dull red throat-patch. In winter, upperparts with fine white spots; white cheeks and lores, and dark crown reaching to eye or ear-coverts; eye usually in white oval. Underparts white. In winter ground colour of upperparts of adults is greyer, less brownish, than in other divers. Lower mandible of bill with distinct angulation, giving bill characteristic uptilted appearance, unlike Black-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver.
Voice. On the breeding ground a low, guttural "kwuk-kwuk-kwuk".
Distribution. Breeding bird of northern Europe, Scotland, and Iceland.
Habitat. Breeds on shallow freshwater pools, preferably in treeless terrains. Outside the breeding season primarily marine, but also occurring on inshore waters, pools and reservoirs.
Food. Mostly fish, captured with bill in underwater pursuit at depths of 2-9 m.
Eggs. With blackish-brown spots and blotches; ground colour dark olive/greyish-olive/light brown/dark brown. Texture glossy. Shape subelliptical/long elliptical. Size 75 x 84 mm (65-83 x 42-49), weight 83 g (73 x 90).