Aust birds    Bird names   News   1-26    Habitats    Key plants    Glossary    Plumage    Nests    Tips    Thumbnails    Gen. info    Sponsors    Photos for sale   
NON-PASSERINES     1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10     11     12     13     14 15     16     17     18     19     20     21     22     23     24     25     26     PASSERINES
Common names sorted alphabetically: A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   W   Y  

2

Great Crested Grebes sharing parental duties

(Podiceps cristatus)
Alternate name(s): "Crested Grebe", "Tippet Grebe", "Loon", "Gaunt"; Misnomer: "Carr Goose"
Aboriginal name(s): "kiyirn" [tjapwurrung}; "kali" (WA)

Size: 47-61 cm; wing span 59-73 cm
Weight: 0.9-1.5 kg

Back to the Great Crested Grebe main page .

In October 2022, a pair of Great Crested Grebes was found nesting at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA. Their clutch of 5 hatched in November, while under observation, making it possible to study how they cared for their young.

Great Crested Grebe incubating its clutch of 5 (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

As soon as the last chick was hatched, the Great Crested Grebe parents took their offspring on excursions. One adult had the task of carrying the chicks, while the partner was on fishing duties.

Great Crested Grebe carrying its 5 chicks on its back (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Great Crested Grebe's partner arriving with a delivery of fish (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Great Crested Grebe's partner arriving with a delivery of fish (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

The Great Crested Grebe carrying the chicks showed no interest in the food, which was all delivered to the chicks; this suggests a rotation of duties between the partners (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Lateral view of a Great Crested Grebe carrying its chicks, while the partner is catching fish (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

One chick was adventurous and went for a swim, but getting back "on board" can be tricky (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

One chick was adventurous and went for a swim, but getting back "on board" can be tricky (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Great Crested Grebe returning to its nest with the 5 chicks "on board" (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

For a short while all 5 chicks "disembarked"... (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

... but once the parent bird had settled in, everyone jumped aboard again; the chicks did not get under the parent bird again to be brooded (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

While the rest of the family was on the nest, more food was brought in (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Food delivery at the nest; the chicks did not come off the back of the carrying adult (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

That is a big fish for a small Great Crested Grebe chick; one may doubt whether it can fit in... (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

... "betcha it does!" (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Which leaves the parent bird on fishing duty no other choice but to head back out again; it is a tall order to fill 5 hungry bills (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

2 days later, the chicks have grown visibly, creating a space problem on the back of the carrying parent bird
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

As a consequence, chicks increasingly chose - or were forced - to get off the parent's back (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Even among the remaining two chicks there was infighting (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

4 young Great Crested Grebe chicks of different sizes, as a consequence of asynchronous hatching; from left to right the order appears to be #1, #3, #2 and #4 (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

4 young Great Crested Grebe chicks during an outing on day 5 (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

4 young Great Crested Grebe chicks watching one of their parents trying to get their next feed (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

While during the first 3 days the pair of Great Crested Grebes fed their chicks entire fish that hardly fit in, subsequently the diet was changed to small morsels only (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

4 young Great Crested Grebe chicks in a huddle, waiting for their parents' return (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Upon return, somebody has have given a sign to remount... (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

... whereupon the scramble started for the best seats (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

And no surprise - at this age and size, the last one up has its feet dangling behind (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.