{"id":102296,"date":"2021-09-13T05:42:34","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T11:42:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=102296"},"modified":"2021-09-13T07:03:21","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T13:03:21","slug":"pied-billed-grebes-with-crayfish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/13\/pied-billed-grebes-with-crayfish\/","title":{"rendered":"Pied-billed Grebes With Crayfish"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When other kleptoparasitic birds are around there are easier prey to swallow than crayfish, especially with all their legs and defensive pincers.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"102297\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/13\/pied-billed-grebes-with-crayfish\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"6.3","credit":"RON DUDLEY","camera":"Canon EOS 7D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1514394324","copyright":"","focal_length":"700","iso":"1250","shutter_speed":"0.0005","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"pied-billed grebe 2469 ron dudley\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-102297 size-full\" title=\"pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley\" src=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley-150x107.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 1250, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Four years ago Pied-billed Grebes at a local pond were fattening up on crayfish and I had a front row seat. I cropped in tight on this photo to show detail because it was sharp and because the bird needed rotation and I didn’t have enough room in the frame to rotate and be left with an acceptable composition.<\/p>\n<p>Every crayfish I’ve seen had black eyes but the right eye of this one appears to be red. It may look similar to the “red eye effect” in human subjects when a flash is used in low light to take the photo. These photos were taken in low light (thus my high ISO setting) but I didn’t use flash and the compound eyes of crayfish don’t have pupils so I’m assuming the red is just a reflection of some kind off the surface of the grebe’s eye. .<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"102298\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/13\/pied-billed-grebes-with-crayfish\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"6.3","credit":"RON DUDLEY","camera":"Canon EOS 7D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1514394732","copyright":"","focal_length":"700","iso":"1250","shutter_speed":"0.0005","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"pied-billed grebe 2579 ron dudley\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-102298 size-full\" title=\"pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley\" src=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2579-ron-dudley-150x107.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 1250, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Seven minutes later another (or maybe the same) grebe had captured another crayfish. In both instances the grebe came up with plant debris in its bill along with the crayfish.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"102299\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/13\/pied-billed-grebes-with-crayfish\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"6.3","credit":"RON DUDLEY","camera":"Canon EOS 7D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1514394742","copyright":"","focal_length":"700","iso":"1250","shutter_speed":"0.0003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"pied-billed grebe 2604 ron dudley\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-102299 size-full\" title=\"pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley\" src=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2604-ron-dudley-150x107.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 1250, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Pied-billed Grebes are dedicated kleptoparasites so when one grebe has prey other grebes typically try to steal it. So this bird was rushing to use some nearby emergent vegetation as cover before removing the pincers of the crayfish and then swallowing what was left of it in peace. As a result I never did see the grebe gulp it down.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p>Whenever I post photos that include crayfish the question of what to call them invariably comes up. Depending on geographical location, cultural influences and other factors crayfish may be called crawfish, craydids, crawdads, crawdaddies, freshwater lobsters, mountain lobsters, rock lobsters, mudbugs or yabbies.<\/p>\n<p>But to me a crayfish by any other name is still a crayfish, even though they aren’t fish.<\/p>\n<p>Ron<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When other kleptoparasitic birds are around there are easier prey to swallow than crayfish, especially with all their legs and defensive pincers.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/13\/pied-billed-grebes-with-crayfish\/\"><span>Continue reading<\/span><i class=\"crycon-right-dir\"><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":102297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[334,392,359],"tags":[2019,1430,5937,251,993,5938,311],"class_list":["post-102296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birds","category-feeding-bird-behaviors","category-pied-billed-grebes","tag-crayfish","tag-kleptoparasitism","tag-other-names-for-crayfish","tag-pied-billed-grebe","tag-podilymbus-podiceps","tag-red-eye-effect","tag-utah-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pied-billed-grebe-2469-ron-dudley.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1zzJh-qBW","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102296"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102296\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102324,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102296\/revisions\/102324"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}