Australasian crested grebe pair

Interesting diving birds - feet set so far back that they rarely if ever come on land. their nests are floating platforms attached to submerged vegetation at the edge of a lake.

There are 22 species world wide, but 3 species have become extinct in the last 30 years.

they are monogamous and have a fascinating courtship display. Chicks are carried on the parents' backs.

They swallow feathers which apparently stop bones going into their gut, and these are regurgitated

Animals like stoats, cats and raptors can prey on eggs and fledglings, and introduced fish and birds compete for food and breeding space.

A wildlife refuge for grebes has been established on Lake Pearson/Moana Rua in Canterbury It is one of the few remaining breeding sites for grebes and their numbers have remained stable here for several decades.
Wildlife refuge status is one of New Zealand’s highest
forms of legal protection for terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife habitats.

For more grebes click here