Rickubis Bird Page #4:  Grebes
This page was born 03/24/2010.  Rickubis designed it.  (such as it is.) Last update: 04/13/2022  
Images and contents on this page copyright ©2002-2022 Richard M. Dashnau
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That's me on a trail at Brazos Bend State Park (BBSP), sometime in 2004.

02/27/2022I'd gotten word that there were now two Least Grebes East on the Spillway Trail, so I went to look for them. They were near Elm Lake, and I watched them from 10:15am - 10:40am.
A Least Grebe had been seen at different places along the trail for weeks. Today, there were two, and they were staying near some Blue-winged Teal.  I only have one picture showing both of them,
because they wouldn't cooperate and stay together.  Those wonderful eyes!

   

At BBSP on 01/30/2022. About 50�F Brazos Bend State Park when I got there.  I headed right to Otter Island, but didn't see any Otters during the few hours I was there. However, I was treated
to a visit by this Least Grebe (
Tachybaptus dominicus)that swam by--right in front of me. I'd seen it at different places from the Observation Tower to the Spillway Bridge  over the last couple 
months. Now, it was East of the bridge. That brilliant yellow eye glinted in the morning  sunlight, as the Grebe turned the dark skin on its backside towards the sun to warm itself.

   

Like almost everyone these days, I've been staying inside.  I have stopped driving around outside for...recreational purposes.
BBSP is just too far away, AND, entrance protocol to the park has changed dramatically (even for volunteers). So...I haven't been going there.
So, this is some video I filmed 02/08/2020 at Archbishop Fiorenza park.  I had been watching Pied-Billed grebes (other videos of them have been posted before).
This time, I watched a grebe scratching its head. Grebes are well-adapted for swimming. Their legs are set further back on their body than on other birds.  But the
most obvious tool is their amazing feet.  Unlike the webbed toes of ducks, each of a grebe's toes is a separate, large, paddle. This makes a huge, floppy foot which is great
for swimming. But, it's probably not so great for scratching.  I shot some high-speed video (480 fps) of a grebe scratching its head. It is being playe back at 60fps...or 8x slower.
The images below are frame grabs from the cropped video...which is why they aren't too clear. The video works, though. That video is here.

     

12/25/2019  I returned to Fiorenza Park and tried to catch more video of the pied-billed grebes breaking off fish spines. I did observe them catching armored catfish, and other
fish.  They definitely use different feeding techniques, depending on the type of fish they've caught.  These images show a couple different grebes that have caught fish which may
be blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus)--at least going by the shape and the long spiny dorsal fin.


       

The grebe in the pictures below is a different one than in the pictures above.  And for a video demonstration of one of the grebes swallowing a tilapia, click this link.
       

And, just because they look wonderful, the picture below shows a flock of White Pelicans that flew over me.

12/07/2019-12/14/2019  I was at Fiorenza Park last weeked. I noticed some Pied-Billed Grebes hunting, along with the usual Cormorants. After a while, I noticed that the grebes started catching fish.
One of them caught and swallowed a nice-sized fish (some kind of crappie, or maybe a tilapia, I think).  Then, I was surprised to see them catching and eating armored catfish! I caught some of
this on video. Some of the attached images are frame grabs from the video, and some are  just photos. While shaking and "juggling" their armored catfish, it seemed that the grebes
were handling them by the fins, and violently shaking them by twisting their heads. I've seen Yellow-crowned Night Herons use this shame technique while breaking off the claws and
legs of crawfish.  Perhaps the grebes were trying to break off the sharp "barbs" on the fins of the fish before they ate them. It appeared that the grebe would lift the fish by one of the barbs,
then violently shake it. I couldn't see for sure if the barbs were breaking off, though.  Then, I returned to the park on 12/14.  This time I caught some video that shows that the grebes are breaking
the sharp spines off of the catfish!  I've added that clip to the edited video. The 4 images on the bottom row below are frame-grabs that show when the spike has been broken off. The arrow in
the last image is pointing to the spike in the grebe's beak. 
I've edited the clips  together into this video showing the differing techniques.
The cormorants used a different technique to subdue their  fish. Their method employed the sharp hook  at the tip of their top beak (upper mandible). The Cormorants tossed their armored fish
until it was upside-down. This exposed the fish's softer underside to that hook. Then the cormorants forced the hook into the fish (by violent shaking)--most likely doing major damage and causing
 the fish to weaken and relax its spines.  This is all guesswork driven by what I can see in the video clips.  I've edited them together into this video showing the differing techniques.
About the armored catfish....
I've been calling these fish plecostomus for a long time. I was aware that there were a few different species of these in local bodies of water--but I had read somewhere that
calling them all "plecostomus" was acceptable. Just recently, I've finally found some information that may help tell these species apart. From the sources I can find, it
seem that the most common armored catfish are one of two genus:  The Hypostomus genus and Pterygoplichthys genus.; with the two most likely species as Hypostomus plecostomus
and Pterygoplichthys anisitsi. (that's pronounced  ter-go-plik-thees according to this source listed ).  The clearest descriptions I've found online were in this document on the Edwards Aquifer website: 
https://www.edwardsaquifer.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2005_Howells_SuckermouthCatfishes.pdf  or, if that document gets moved, here is the page with the link:
https://www.edwardsaquifer.org/doc_publications/exotic-suckermouth-catfishes-family-loricariidae-in-texas-waters/

       
     
     

04/09/2018 and 05/27/2018  Alligators move through a busy environment at Brazos Bend State Park. Alligators are aware of many of the animals around them--and the animals around
are also aware of the alligators. It may surprise some (it surprised me that some of these animals (such as some birds) may actually make use of the presence of an alligator. I've watched
Grebes follow alligators many times. This Spring, I was able to capture this on video. In one clip, there are two Pied-Billed Grebes following an alligator. In the other, it is a Least Grebe
that follows an alligator.  I suspect the the grebes are following along to catch any prey that the alligator may flush out as it moves. Both species of grebes are shown swimming after
with their face in the water--a behavior sometimes called "peering" or "snorkelling". This allows them to see under the water. In the clips, it's obvious that the grebes are actively pursuing
the alligators.  
The two images below are frame-grabs from the clips.  The edited video is here.  

 
  
    PIED-BILLED GREBE CHASING GATOR                 LEAST GREBE CHASING GATOR

Pied Billed Grebes--04/09/2017  I'd heard (from various "birder" friends) and read (in various places) of how grebes can control their bouyancy, and sink slowly, or even 
swim partially submerged.  However, I've rarely seen grebes do it. Most of the time, I've seen them dive as in shown in other clips and photos on this page. But, I've finally caught
some good "close" video of a grebe "sinking".  The images below are frame grabs from the video clip which I filmed at 480 frames per second--and then save at 30fps (16X 
slower).  I've uploaded an edited version of the video that can be seen here:  Grebe sinking.  
At the end of the edited video is very short version of the same clip played at 
"normal" speed. Below is the sequence of frame-grabs showing a Pied Billed Grebe sinking.

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More Least Grebes--12/20/2009  Today was the first bright, sunny Sunday we've had in almost a month. I didn't spend as much time out around the bigger lakes as I'd like, but that's just
how it is sometimes. I decided to go to Creekfield Lake and see if any otters would show up. No, they didn't, or at least I didn't see any. But staying by the lake, and watching is just a lot of fun.
When I got onto the long pier, I came upon one of our park visitors photographing the Least Grebes. They were very close to the pier, and obviously didn't mind people near them. The water 
was crystal clear.
I moved closer to the Grebes, and started taking pictures of them, and they submerged as usual. But today, they were easily visible while under the clear water! A small 
group of us watched as the Least Grebes paddled around, and when they submerged--we could all easily see them poking around on the bottom! It was *really* quite exciting. I shot for 
slow-motion, hoping to slow my jerky camera movement as I tried to track them underwater. I shot a few clips--some nice dives, and a few surfacing Grebes. These events were very, very 
nice when you can see the Grebe under the water. But, I got one nice continuous clip of a Grebe diving, foraging, and surfacing all in one go. At the adjusted slow-motion frame rate, the clip 
is about 2 minutes long (but actually happened 7 times faster than that). I've edited it a bit (I did some enhancement of the underwater sequence to try to minimize surface glare). Here's the
first clip (wmv 18.8 mb).
Below is a sequence of frame-grabs from one of the clips showing a Least Grebe diving.

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The 2nd clip is compiled of a number of short segments of the three Least Grebes (someone told me one parent and two young) diving and surfacing. I put these together, and am passing
them on because it's so much fun watching them. Click to see the 2nd clip (wmv 18.7 mb).  I noticed that the Grebes seemed to keep their butts turned towards us most of the time. Not
only that, but they appear to open the air-gaps between the feathers so that it appears (to me, anyway) that bare skin is visible. Today's RICKUBISCAM shows a Least Grebe in that 
position. The sun is generally behind me when I'm watching the Grebes. Is it possible that they are trying to catch some solar heating on the bare skin back there? The under-feathers are
brightly-colored, and not dark (which would help absorb solar heat). Right before a dive, I can see them fold the feathers back down, forming a more streamlined profile, and also catching
air against the skin (more guessing about function). It doesn't make sense to be ballast, but large air bubbles appear when the Grebes dive. This is quite obvious in some of the video clips.

Below is a sequence of frame-grabs form one of the clips showing a Least Grebe sufacing.

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I'm also amazed at the contortions that the legs are capable of while swimming. They're doing a lot more than just "rowing" straight back or paddling while the Grebes are surfaced. They
push up, out, twist, and even seem to brake the Grebe when it surfaces. And those piercing yellow eyes are brilliant. The very last segment in the second clip shows them off.
 I was able
to find one of my answers about behavior online. It seems that my guess was correct, and that Least Grebes are sunning themselves when they bare their backsides.
 At least (heh...
"least") it seems that they aren't mooning us. Here are the two links for the clips again:  first clip (wmv 18.8 mb)   2nd clip (wmv 18.7 mb).

Here's some links about the sunning:   All about birds.    The following is in a book that Google has listed. If the links don't work, look on page 62 of this title:
Nesting birds of a tropical frontier: the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas click link

And here is the RICKUBISCAM picture of the Grebe showing its butt: 

10/25/2009  Grebes are small swimming birds. Their legs are set far towards the rear of their body, which makes them good swimmer. However, they are rather clumsy on land.  But, they
can RUN ON WATER!!  I shot a short video of one Pied-Bill Grebe chasing another in Creekfield lake.  The image below is a frame-grab from this video clip.

 10/25/2009

 

Least Grebes--Summer-Fall 2009  Grebes are small swimming birds. Their legs are set far towards the rear of their body, which makes them good swimmer. However, they are rather 
clumsy on land. At Brazos Bend State park, we usually see Pied-Billed Grebes. A few years ago, at least one family of Least Grebes has appeared at the park. Least Grebes have a very
limited range (according to Sibley's Field Guide to Birds, page 29). The appearance of the Least Grebes at the park was big news. Even more exciting was the fact that the Grebes have
apparently remained at the park, and produced chicks for at least 2 years. The Least Grebes are small with narrow, short pointed beaks, and the adults are dark grey with bright yellow eyes.
The young are generally grey, but with pronounced black and grey stripes. Through this summer, I was able to get some pictures and video clips of these uncommon residents of the park. 
Today's RICKUBISCAM is one of those pictures from July 2009. During that session, the single Least Grebe was hunting near the Spillway Trail. Passing juvenile Moorhens would
occasionally harass it, and try to take the food that it caught. The last picture is a frame from the video clip. There are two sections in the clip. First, the Grebe has an insect (probably a Water
Scorpion), and one of the Moorhens attempts to steal it. The other section shows the Grebe snatching a dragonfly out of the air.

 7/26/2009

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                     POKING IN THE DUCKWEED                        THE BRIGHT YELLOW EYE                 YOUNG MOORHEN BEING A NUISANCE           HUNTING, 2 CLIPS, SLOW MOTION
                                                                                                                                                            - video clip (wmv,  11.9mb)

Later, the Least Grebes appeared in Creekfield Lake. The remaining material was all shot there. The three images from 9/20/09 show one of the adult Least Grebes feeding the young ones.
Most of what they caught might be Water Tigers--the larva of the Predacious Diving Beetle. The third image is a frame from the video clip. This clip was shot at normal speed, and shows the
Least Grebes and their young. The high peeping sounds are from the chicks. The fourth image is from another video clip from 10/11/09. This one was shot at 210 fps, so  it shows a parent
feeding babies in slow motion.
 9/20/2009                                                                                                                                         10/11/2009

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               WITH A WATER TIGER                                             ADULT WITH CHICKS                                        FEEDING THE YOUNG VIDEO CLIP                                   THE HEAD FROM THE SIDE
                                                                           video clip (wmv,  14mb)                video clip (wmv,  8.4mb)

The last four images are from 11/01/09. The Least Grebes were finally in some sun. The second and fourth images are just cropped closeups of the first and third images. Look at how 
brilliant the eyes are!

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    GREBE IN DUCKWEED AND AZOLA                           THE HEAD CLOSEUP                             GIVING ME THE STARE                               BOTH EYES CLOSER

If you'd like to know more about the park follow these links:

Brazos Bend State Park   The main page.

Brazos Bend State Park Volunteer's Page  The volunteer's main page.
 

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