Courtship: Red-necked grebes are monogamous and a pair will usually stay together until their young has fledged. To reinforce these bonds, grebes have an elaborate courtship display often called “ceremonies”. During this, both male and female grebes will face each other, extend their crest, and in tandem, protrude their necks while vocalizing. Their calls range from ticking noises to what can be described as the squeals of a young pig or donkey. The pair will also forage for green vegetation and present it to one another as another form of courtship. This gift giving continues even when there are eggs on the nest to further reinforce the pair’s bond. Grebe nests float on the waters surface and are largely comprised of vegetation and debris including discarded plastic at times.
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Sources:
Bream, Margaret. "Wild in the City: Red-Necked Grebes and their Elaborate Song and Dance of Courtship." The Star, 7 July 2012, www.thestar.com/news/insight/2012/07/07/wild_in_the_city_rednecked_grebes_and_their_elaborate_song_and_dance_of_courtship.html?rf&fbclid=IwAR0487lUpcyTV50M6PsMK1MmWPzAHC0Km_x0yLhZR6431rR4dr3jq. Accessed 30 June 2022. "Red-Necked Grebe Life History." All About Birds, Cornell University, 2022, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-necked_Grebe/lifehistory?fbclid=IwAR2qTcMNBmXrxfNQcfWTMqK6Hs7zV66nDnjUv1I2MsbcVOGT1lx2MRCi9aM#. Accessed 30 June 2022. |