Love is in the Air at the Bird Refuge

Grebe Courtship 1, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

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dramatic performance
like a choreographed dance
instinctive courtship
>>:::<<

In my last posting, I mentioned that we had seen far fewer migratory birds at the local Bear River Bird Refuge than the same time last year.  We went for another visit this past Easter Sunday and I’m happy to report that the birds are gradually arriving, although, still not at the level we saw a year ago on March 24, 2012.  The birds that have arrived since our last visit (at least that we saw) were a few American Pelicans, about 10 to 15 cliff swallows and LOTS of Western Grebes.  The refuge is large, so I’m sure there are many more recent arrivals hiding in the marshes.

The focus of this post is the Western Grebe, which you see in the photos.  They are the largest of the North American grebes and are fish-eating water birds that winter along the west coast of North America and breed on inland lakes during the summer.  The bird is a common breeder in northern Utah, USA, where the refuge is located.  Their preferred habitats are lakes, marshes and coasts.  They are graceful with long flexible necks, and dive into the water, rather than fly away when approached.  They spend most of the time in water.  They are awkward walking on land as their feet are placed far back on the body.

What’s so unusual about the grebes is their courtship display, which is among the most elaborate breeding rituals of North American wildlife.  Their mating display is among the most complicated of all.  A long pair bond is formed and strengthened by elaborate courtship displays including neck-bobbing, flexing their necks backwards toward the water, ritualized preening, head shaking, diving, weed carrying, caressing each other with aquatic vegetation, etc.  The bond is reinforced by a dance, or “rushing” phase.  Each bird glances at one another before exploding into a synchronous sprint, side by side, across the water’s surface, with their bodies completely out of the water, like hydroplaning.  They stand high, their wings held back and their cobra-like head and neck rigid and curved gracefully forward until the race ends with a headfirst dive!!  Wow!  (This dance was the reason for my haiku above.)

If that doesn’t sound cute enough, when the young hatch, the babies ride on the backs of their parents, sometimes as many as four chicks at a time, while the other parent dives for fish and brings food to them.  (Click here to see photos.)

Grebes build floating nests on the water, constructed of reeds, weeds and other floating vegetation.  Both parents take turns sitting on a nest of two to six eggs that hatch in about 23 days.  After the chicks hatch, the nests are deserted and gradually dissolve into the lake.  This is a perfect example of “green” recycling.

Our last visit to the refuge must have been too early for us to see the “dance finale” of this fascinating courtship routine.  There were several pairs, and we only saw the head bobbing and preening, but that’s ok.  It was still fun to see.  Here are a few photos of the beginnings of a courtship:

Grebe Courtship 2, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

Grebe Courtship 3, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

Grebe Courtship 4, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

Grebe Courtship 5, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

Grebe Courtship 6, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

Grebe Courtship 7, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

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This is for the “Tagged” letter challenge (letter “M”) by Frizztext,
(“M” is for migration, mating, marsh.)

Linking up with:
BIRD D’POT
TEXTURE TUESDAY
(texture used on first image is Providence)
TUESDAY MUSE
NATURE NOTES
WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY
CAMERA CRITTERS

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References used for this posting:

• http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/rsgis2/search/Display.asp?FlNm=aechocci
• http://thewatershedproject.org/post.php?postid=84
• http://www.utahbirds.org/birdsofutah/BirdsS-Z/WesternGrebe3.htm
• http://www.redbudaudubon.org/grebeInfoQandA4webcam.pdf
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/244083/grebe
• http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/western_grebe/lifehistory
• http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/western_grebe_712.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grebe