![\"pied-billed](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/pied-billed-grebe-9566-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, canvas added for composition,\u00a0not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nAbout a year ago that’s exactly what happened when this grebe caught a weather loach (an invasive fish common at Farmington).\u00a0As soon as it surfaced with the fish other grebes gave chase and I was lucky enough to catch the bird as it skittered across the surface in an attempt to escape with its prize.\u00a0At this point they usually dive with the fish and attempt to swallow it underwater, which is exactly what happened here.\u00a0If the fish isn’t too wide-bodied they can usually get the fish down underwater (loaches have long, eel-shaped bodies)\u00a0but if it’s a young carp they often have to struggle to swallow it which means it must be done on the surface and there’s a lot of excitement as other grebes try to pilfer the fish.<\/p>\n
Another interesting thing about this image is that you can see how far back on the body\u00a0grebe legs are attached, which makes the reason for their awkwardness on land obvious. It’s\u00a0 rare to see them out of the water (though I have done so several times).<\/p>\n
This isn’t a great image technically (I had to add canvas for composition)\u00a0but I thought the behavior was interesting and\u00a0I do\u00a0like the action.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pied-billed Grebes are highly deserving of the “klepto” part of the term kleptoparasitism, especially among their own species. They’re an aggressive and threatening bird, chasing and attacking members of their own species and other birds too.<\/p>\n