| Summary: | Wetlands are crucial nesting areas for the little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis). Our study was conducted at a
wastewater treatment facility at Khon Kaen University in northeastern Thailand to determine whether human disturbance affected
the breeding success of the birds at wastewater treatment ponds in 2011, 2012, and 2016. We found 14, 8, and 14 active nests in
2011, 2012, and 2016, respectively. The results indicated that human disturbances likely caused the grebes to shift their nest
locations. In the 2011 and 2016 seasons, when human disturbance was low, the hatching success was 70%. In 2012, a weed
control program at the facility resulted in the dramatic hatching reduction to 9.7%. The results also indicated that some human
activities, such as predation and habitat disturbance, could have dramatic effects on the nesting success of the T. ruficollis.
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