Pied-billed Grebes Frantically Protecting Their Fish

Yesterday morning the normally placid Farmington Bay Pied-billed Grebes were in a feeding frenzy and I had a wonderful time photographing the action.

Note: I’m rushed for time this morning so there will be no shooting techs posted and the images were all processed globally and quickly.  These photos involve several different birds and fish and are presented in the order they were taken.

 

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The theme of the morning was “protect your meal”.  When a grebe caught a fish, pandemonium would break out as other birds tried to steal it (or the rightful owner though they might – these grebes are notorious kleptoparasites).  So the grebe with the fish would rush across the water to find a safe place to down the meal.

 

 

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When it was safely away it would slow down…

 

 

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and then attempt to kill and eat the fish.  This involves pinching it with their stout beak and shaking the devil out of it.

 

 

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But in the meantime another bird would often approach so the grebe with the fish would swim frantically away to avoid it.

 

 

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If the potential thief appeared to be serious about thievery intentions the grebe with the fish would skitter across the water at high-speed.  I like the angle of the wing secondaries in this image.

 

 

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This might have been the largest fish I saw taken that morning.  I include the image because it gives us a good look at the fish.  The grebe apparently had no trouble downing the fish.  Very soon after this photo was taken it dove and when it emerged the fish was nowhere to be seen (they often swallow fish underwater to avoid competition).

 

 

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A rear view with no light in the eye but I like the way the head of the fish is skimming the surface of the water as the grebe rushes away.

 

 

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At times it was difficult to tell whether the grebe had the fish or the fish had the grebe.

Once again I was struck by how many invasive Weather Loaches are in this pond.  So far this year I’ve seen grebes at the pond catch dozens of fish and all but one of them was a Weather Loach (the other fish was a carp).

Ron

 

 

25 Comments

  1. Love all the reflections in these photos.

  2. Great images. It’s interesting to see just how large a fish they can manage.

  3. I know (and appreciate ) that you and Mia are on site very early…How early was the grebes’ feeding frenzy taking place?

  4. Great shots! Loaches and carp are apparently quite adaptable, as are the grebes. Go get ’em, grebes!

  5. I wonder whether scoffing their food at the speed of light causes any digestive issues, says my anthromorphic self, would would suffer for days if I followed their example.
    As always, a fascinating series. Thank you.

    • Elephant’s Child – if they can get it down they never seem to have any troubles after that. It’s swallowing the big’uns that sometimes gives them fits.

  6. Love that final image of the fish ring around the grebe’s bill! And thanks for teaching me so much about this great little bird species.

  7. Super behavioral shots Ron! Thanks for sharing.
    Charlotte

  8. Seems like grebes have to great athletes to complete a meal…which, once again, is a weather loach…makes me wonder just what the percentage is noow of loaches to native fis….looks like catching and popping a fish for swallowing is a task in itself…z

  9. As long as we have Pied-billed Grebes, who needs TV?

    Wonderful series of outstanding photographs and behavioral narrative, Ron!

  10. Top notch images Ron. I always love watching the antics of these cunning birds. Thanks for sharing the story!

  11. I love the shadow on the last shot! Our rescue organization recently took in a Pied Bill Grebe – found on a road at 4:30AM, having landed on what it thought was water and been unable to take off again, a common plight of grebes due to the location of their legs far back on their bodies (as you know!) They are pretty little birds.

    • Deborah, the scenario you describe is typical for these birds when they get “land stranded”. At least your bird survived the landing. They often don’t.

  12. Oh, I love these so much! What great shots!

  13. Great sequence of photos, Ron. You captured such a pretty bird in so many poses. Even the fish were interesting to study. I think of loaches as as aquarium fish, so I guess these have “escaped” from household aquaria and invaded the bay, right? But I guess the grebes don’t mind.

    • Dwynn, Yes, these loaches have been released, apparently by aquarists, and are thriving at Farmington. But the grebes are doing their level best to control their numbers…

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