Graced by Grebes

The grebe I feel graced to see, is the Pied-billed Grebe, with the fun scientific name of (Podilymbus podiceps) which I believe, with all those “Podi’s”, is a tribute to its marvelous feet. Considered to be one of the most perfectly adapted waterbirds, it has fairly large feet that have both lobes and partial webbing and toes that are more flattened like our toenails than curved. Put it all together and it makes them powerful swimmers. One small snag though is that its feet are placed so far back on its body that it can’t launch into flight from the ground, and on water it has to run like the dickens to finally get airborne. For that matter, if any poor Grebe gets tossed inland during a storm it would probably require a rescue from some kind passer-by. I read that they have on occasion mistaken wet highways for water with, of course, disastrous results.

I feel “graced” to see one, for they are somewhat shy, and unlike the rafts of ducks taking advantage of this small lake out my window, grebes show up all by their lonesome. I think I have written about them before too, perhaps something like “One of these ducks is not like the others”. Of course, it isn’t a duck, but in migration time might be seen with ducks, although it seems more coincidental than purposeful. For example, today the water seems absent of the Ring neck ducks, perhaps they have moved on, but the grebe is still here.


Also I am “graced” to see them for with their tiny bodies and their practically non-existent tail, they are extra adorable as they dive under water. Now, I have never seen this, but I am watching for it, I hear they can also just “sink” under the water. That they have the ability to adjust their buoyancy so if they want to be really stealthy they just slowly sink down. See how life is so worth living! The thought that I have never seen this, but would love to see it, is a reason to look forward to each new day. Maybe today.

And here’s another nifty fact. They are the only bird I have ever heard of who makes feathers a part of its diet. It has been noted that a full 50% of their stomach content can be made up of feathers. The thought is, as fish eaters, perhaps they ingest the feathers to line their stomach and protect it from sharp fish bones. Wow. We all know that many birds swallow sand, small stones; alligators, dinosaurs, they all swallow larger stones to help digest their food, to grind the food as it churns in their stomach, but this is a little different. Even the young grebes are fed the feathers of the parent birds.

If you are lucky enough to live in their breeding ground, which I believe I am on the edge of here on the Cape, you may get a chance to see them carrying their young on their back. I also read that they sometimes dive under with the chicks still on their back. I wonder if they are on when they resurface. Another thing to set your hopeful sights on.

Perhaps where you live there is no chance of seeing a Grebe, but still there will be something else to be “graced” by. Feel free to share with me what that is. Have a lovely grace-filled day everyone.