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Pied Billed Grebe Chick

Podilymbus podiceps

Photo by HemaShah
Published on Project Noah
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37.8944, -122.036

Field Notes

Description:

The downy, precocial nestlings have a variable rufous, black and white striping pattern. Patches of bare yellow skin are visible on the lores (area between the bill and the eyes) and crown. After hatching, the young follow the adults, often riding on their backs or clinging to their tails. The adults will sometimes feed the chicks while they ride on their backs and will even dive below the water’s surface with the chicks aboard. It is fairly common for the pied-billed grebe to have 2 sets of chicks a year.

Habitat:

wetlands.

Notes:

While These are endangered in some states,they are quite abundant here.

Reference Links:

DEEP: Pied-billed Grebe Fact Sheet

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (7)
HemaShah
robby, Pied-billed Grebes rarely fly. They make a slow dive frequently, especially when in danger, diving to about 20 feet or less. They dive for about 30 seconds and may move to a more secluded area of the water, allowing only the head to be visible to watch the danger dissipate.This frequency in diving has earned them the description of being reclusive or shy in nature.IIt has also earned them nicknames like "hell-diver." They rarely spend time in flocks. Their courtship include calling and sometimes duets. Males will show territorial behaviour if another male is at the edge of his territory. They face each other and then turn their heads and bills up. Then they turn away and start calling. Then they turn back around to look at one another. wikipedia
HemaShah
Satyen,it is hard not to like these. I was hoping to catch a dream shot of them riding their parents back{ like the one Glen Marks was lucky to capture the Loon chicks} Missed that time frame.
HemaShah
The grebes are declining in New England. The reasons are unknown. The states of Connecticut and New Hampshire have declared the Pied-billed Grebe as endangered. In New Jerseyand Massachusetts, they have been declared threatened. In Vermont they are of "special concern." In Rhode Island they are locally extinct. They are also endangered in Illinois.
Photographed
PublishedJuly 7, 2013

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