{"id":6248,"date":"2024-10-04T18:04:46","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T18:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/?p=6248"},"modified":"2024-11-09T01:18:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-09T01:18:19","slug":"western-grebe-looking-sharp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/2024\/10\/04\/western-grebe-looking-sharp\/","title":{"rendered":"WESTERN GREBE: Looking Sharp"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-9e7535be7d6631fd0a3b25df9122c680\" style=\"font-size:25px;letter-spacing:2px\"><strong>OVERVIEW<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Taxonomy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Class <\/strong>\u2013 <em>Aves <\/em>(like all birds)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Order <\/strong>\u2013 <em>Podicipediformes (<\/em>meaning \u201crear foot\u201d in Latin, their legs are closer to the back than the front to help with diving and swimming&#8230; not so great for walking)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Family <\/strong>\u2013 <em>Podicipedidae<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Genus <\/strong>\u2013 <em>Aechmophorus<\/em> (meaning \u201cspear-bearing\u201d in Greek, for their stabby bill)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Species <\/strong>\u2013 <em>occidentalis<\/em> (Western)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Identification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually found s<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">porting an elegant black and white tuxedo on its swan-like neck, a dark cap that extends below fiery red eyes and meets a bill of dull olive-yellow.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:64% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdorable.com\/meet\/western-grebe\/gifts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"722\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture2_grebe-types-1024x722.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6381 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture2_grebe-types-1024x722.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture2_grebe-types-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture2_grebe-types-768x542.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture2_grebe-types.png 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Not to be confused with similar-looking species: Clark\u2019s Grebe (black cap does not extend below the eye) or non-breeding Red-necked Grebe (eyes are black, neck is gray-washed, and flanks have more white feathers). Hybrids of Western and Clark\u2019s Grebes also occur on occasion, making them VERY close relatives<\/span>. (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO, 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Males and females look practically the same, although females tend to have a slightly smaller bill<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">.<\/span><\/span> Western Grebes live up to 8 -11 years, are r<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">oughly crow-sized (2-ft long by 2-ft wide wingspan), and weigh approximately 1 to 1.8 kg<\/span> (BirdLife, 2019 &amp; <span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Not so fun fact: Their dense and waterproof plumage was so coveted in the nineteenth century, that grebes were hunted to endangerment in the name of fashion. (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-aae0533e7e5b4cccd5c81a0207348506\" id=\"habitat-distribution\" style=\"font-size:25px;letter-spacing:2px\">HABITAT DISTRIBUTION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Endemic to western North America, the range of Western Grebes extends as far east as Manitoba. Of the Canadian population, less than 2% reside in BC, 60% live in Alberta, 10% in Saskatchewan, and 30% in Manitoba (ECCC, 2022). In the spring and summer, they breed in inland lakes and wetlands, then migrate back in the fall to warmer coastal areas (left image below). A single large lake may contain a colony of hundreds of mating pairs (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020). The image on the right shows the frequency of sightings for a set of 700,000 recorded observations on eBird (2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-de391324 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized wp-container-content-69bc4bdf\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/field-guide\/bird\/western-grebe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"879\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture5_map-Audubon-879x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6418\" style=\"width:341px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture5_map-Audubon-879x1024.png 879w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture5_map-Audubon-258x300.png 258w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture5_map-Audubon-768x894.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture5_map-Audubon-1319x1536.png 1319w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture5_map-Audubon-1759x2048.png 1759w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture5_map-Audubon.png 1860w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 879px) 100vw, 879px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized wp-container-content-69bc4bdf\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ebird.org\/species\/wesgre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"864\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture4_map-eBird-1024x864.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6417\" style=\"width:469px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture4_map-eBird-1024x864.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture4_map-eBird-300x253.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture4_map-eBird-768x648.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture4_map-eBird-1536x1296.png 1536w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture4_map-eBird-2048x1728.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-93f543175c5a4bb74f0f6ec5abcf51ff\" id=\"behaviour\" style=\"font-size:25px;letter-spacing:2px\">BEHAVIOUR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As excellent swimmers with lobbed toes, they spend most of their time in the water, where they dive for prey, eat, rest, and nest, not necessarily in that order (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020). And graceful as they may seem, they can be slightly awkward outside of their natural watery element:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Western Grebe Walking on the Beach\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z5eGcgNHSNk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Reproduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ever sticklers for romance, Western Grebe mates employ two sequential courtship displays referred to as \u201cceremonies\u201d (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020). But first, sit back and enjoy the relaxing sound of gears grinding, err, courtship: <em>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/field-guide\/bird\/western-grebe\">Audubon<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d05cb3ef wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/WESGRE_1.kreed-kreetnum1_UTkc_1.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><mark style=\"background-color:#cf2e2e\" class=\"has-inline-color has-white-color\"> <strong>* Kreet-kreet * <\/strong> <\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio alignleft\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/WESGRE_4.mechanicalsoundsnum1_NEle_1.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><mark style=\"background-color:#000000\" class=\"has-inline-color has-white-color\"> * <strong>Squeaky Wheels<\/strong> *  <\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\"><strong>1) Rushing ceremony<\/strong> \u2013 it begins with a shrill \u201ckreet-kreet\u201d, followed by bill dips, head shaking, dancing, and finishing off with a sudden dive<\/span>. The <span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">\u201cRush\u201d <\/span>is <span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">performed by either mating pairs or males trying to show off<\/span>, as seen in <em>BBC Life: The Grebes<\/em> (narrated by the one and only, David Attenborough):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"BBC Life: The Grebes\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZbRrxw-H6xA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Truly majestic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 68%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Don\u2019t quote me on this, but I\u2019m pretty sure J.T. got inspiration for his dance moves by Western Grebes&#8217; rushing ceremony. <\/em><sub>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC-y8ci7xfsu4L3zkSuHae0A\">YouTube<\/a>)<\/sub><\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.audubon.org\/nas_birdapi\/a1_7106_2_western-grebe_patrick_dirlam_breeding-adults.jpg?height=472&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=90&amp;fit=bounds&amp;disable=upscale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"406\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture9_JT-dance-1024x406.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6436 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture9_JT-dance-1024x406.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture9_JT-dance-300x119.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture9_JT-dance-768x305.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture9_JT-dance-1536x609.png 1536w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture9_JT-dance-2048x812.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2) Weed ceremony <\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 you read that right, part 2 of the mating ritual involves \u201cweed dancing\u201d. After warming up with some neck stretches, the mating pair dives down into the watery depths, then comes up to the surface with a bill-full of weeds to twirl and spiral around one another in synchrony (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020)&#8230; if that&#8217;s not romance then I don&#8217;t know what is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nesting &amp; Brooding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">After their impressive ritual, the mating pair build (or steal) floating nests on emergent vegetation such as rushes and reeds, typically in waters that are less than one metre deep. (Audubon, 2024)<\/span>. <span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">They are quick to exploit recently abandoned empty nests within a colony, to avoid the heavy cost of building a new one (Hayes &amp; Turner, 2017).<\/span> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 66%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Eggs are pale bluish-white to brown, and get incubated for about one month <\/span>(<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020). <span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">A clutch may contain anywhere from 2 to 6 eggs (Audubon, 2024)<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.audubon.org\/nas_birdapi\/apa_2013_28493_226719_scotthelfrich_western_grebe_kk_adult.jpg?height=472&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=90&amp;fit=bounds&amp;disable=upscale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"712\" height=\"430\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture7_floating-nest.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6432 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture7_floating-nest.png 712w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture7_floating-nest-300x181.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 712px) 100vw, 712px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hatchlings are carried on their parents&#8217; back, and fed a <strong>diet <\/strong>of insect larvae and small fish (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020). A few weeks after hatching (and after some futile begging) these fast-growers are free to dive and feed on their own, having grown their formative plumage (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020). At the ripe age of ten weeks-old, they may spread their wings and take their first flight (Audubon, 2024).  As adults, their diet transitions into crustaceans, aquatic worms, insects, and larger fish (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Fun fact about preening: <\/strong><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">They sometimes swallow their own feathers, but not to worry, they are believed to protect the stomach lining from possible fish-bone punctures, and help to regurgitate undigested food pellets with elegance and grace (<span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-25033c6322825a5954c81f0175546a97\" id=\"conservation-status\" style=\"font-size:25px;letter-spacing:2px\">CONSERVATION STATUS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Jurisdiction<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Status<\/strong> <\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong><strong>Agency (Year)<\/strong><\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Provincial (BC)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><mark class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Red List<\/mark> (At Risk),<br>S1S2 &#8211; critically imperiled to imperiled<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">NatureServe (2023)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Federal (Canada)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">SC \u2013 Special Concern<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">COSEWIC (2014) &amp;<br>SARA (2017)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Global<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Least Concern (LC)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">IUCN (2019)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Western Grebes are federally protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act of 1994, and under the United States Migratory Bird Treaty Act, since the majority of the population winters in warmer U.S. regions (ECCC, 2022).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Global population is estimated at 100,000 individuals, with 30% residing in Canada (ECCC, 2022). Within their colonies, population density is roughly 70 individuals per square-kilometre (COSEWIC, 2014).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the main conservation challenges includes habitat loss of nesting grounds due to more frequent wildfires and human disturbance (Audubon, 2024). Grebes are also susceptible to water level fluctuations, chemicals in their environment (mainly pesticides and oil), marine vessel disturbances, gill nets, and collisions with energy infrastructure such as powerlines and wind turbines (ECCC, 2022, Fox et. al, 2016, &amp; <span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">CLO<\/span>, 2020).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-212a544a4fb1426356bfdf9563a57632\" id=\"cultural\" style=\"font-size:25px;letter-spacing:2px\">IN CULTURE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:27% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/vector\/water-birds-gm165903104-18435480\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"689\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture8_stock-outline-1024x689.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6434 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture8_stock-outline-1024x689.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture8_stock-outline-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture8_stock-outline-768x517.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture8_stock-outline-1536x1034.png 1536w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Picture8_stock-outline-2048x1379.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Ojibwe oral tradition, Grebe is given the name of \u201c<mark class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Hell-Diver<\/mark>\u201d for their ability to withstand harsh conditions set by the Spirit of Winter through resourceful diving for food. Hell-Diver&#8217;s care for other waterfowl friends, Mallard and Crane, feeds the fire that eventually brings the onset of spring (Milwaukee Public Museum, 2022).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-9c34590db9322e32d988a71704bb7610\" id=\"modern-research\" style=\"font-size:25px;letter-spacing:2px\">LATEST RESEARCH<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Drone Surveys Aid Habitat Conservation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drone surveys have been shown to help with investigations of nest surveys in inland aquatic habitats. In a study by McKellar (2022), high-resolution imagery illustrated aerial coverage of rooted aquatic vegetation in wetlands. As predicted, decreasing size of open-water areas correlated with more crowded nesting sites in the centre (pink dots on the left image below), and increased competition for sites that were far away enough from shore to avoid predation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s13157-022-01602-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"884\" data-id=\"6378\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-04-031311_aerial-drone-1024x884.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-04-031311_aerial-drone-1024x884.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-04-031311_aerial-drone-300x259.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-04-031311_aerial-drone-768x663.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-04-031311_aerial-drone.png 1063w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/rse2.183\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"884\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"6379\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/rse2183-fig-0003-m_drone-thermal_mckellar2021-884x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/rse2183-fig-0003-m_drone-thermal_mckellar2021-884x1024.jpg 884w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/rse2183-fig-0003-m_drone-thermal_mckellar2021-259x300.jpg 259w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/rse2183-fig-0003-m_drone-thermal_mckellar2021-768x889.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/rse2183-fig-0003-m_drone-thermal_mckellar2021-1327x1536.jpg 1327w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/rse2183-fig-0003-m_drone-thermal_mckellar2021-1769x2048.jpg 1769w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 884px) 100vw, 884px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The results provided an insight into the advantages or disadvantages of grebes aggregating into bigger colonies. Drone surveys can also be used in conjunction with ground-based surveys, which obtain fitness measurements based on the survival rate of eggs and juveniles. This remote monitoring application has the potential to identify rapidly-changing habitats at target areas, on a more frequent basis, to facilitate real-time implementation of conservation measures (McKellar, 2022).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In wetland areas that are both limited by ground access, and visually cryptic from an aerial perspective, drones with dual visible-thermal cameras managed to accurately identify nest sites with eggs based on their heat signatures, with results that were within 5% of a ground-based survey that was conducted in synchronicity (McKellar et. al, 2021- images above on the right).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another study that used drone surveys demonstrated that nesting Western Grebes prefer intermediate water depths in any given body of water, within a range of 40-80 cm (Lachman et. al, 2022). The researchers make a point that drone surveys should be specific to fit the requirements of each specific site and species. These are feasible due to the lower cost and ease of deployment of drones, increasing image resolution and storage capabilities, and lower invasiveness by avoiding interactions with resident waterfowl.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.audubon.org\/nas_birdapi\/a1_5560_5_western-grebe_mick_thompson_breeding-adults.jpg?height=472&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=90&amp;fit=bounds&amp;disable=upscale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"877\" height=\"586\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-03-220128_lovebirds.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6380\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-03-220128_lovebirds.png 877w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-03-220128_lovebirds-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-03-220128_lovebirds-768x513.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 877px) 100vw, 877px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Thank you for reading!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">If you made it this far, please leave a comment below and subscribe&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-450447e02e30181fdfa9c493dcabddbd\" id=\"references\" style=\"font-size:25px;letter-spacing:2px\">REFERENCES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">BirdLife International&nbsp;(BirdLife) (2019).&nbsp;<em>Western Grebe:<\/em> <em>Aechmophorus occidentalis<\/em>.&nbsp;The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved September 2024, from&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.2305\/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22696631A139355294.en\">https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.2305\/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22696631A139355294.en<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">British Columbia Conservation Data Centre (BC CDC) (2024). <em>BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer<\/em>. B.C. Ministry of Environment. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"https:\/\/a100.gov.bc.ca\/pub\/eswp\/\">https:\/\/a100.gov.bc.ca\/pub\/eswp\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Cornell Lab of Ornithology (CLO) (2020).&nbsp;<em>Western Grebe.<\/em>&nbsp;All About Birds. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Western_Grebe\/\">https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Western_Grebe\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">COSEWIC (2014). <em>COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis, in Canada<\/em>. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"https:\/\/publications.gc.ca\/site\/eng\/466562\/publication.html\">https:\/\/publications.gc.ca\/site\/eng\/466562\/publication.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">eBird (2020). <em>Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)<\/em>. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"https:\/\/ebird.org\/species\/wesgre\">https:\/\/ebird.org\/species\/wesgre<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) (2022). <em>Management Plan for the Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in Canada<\/em>. Species at Risk Act Management Plan Series. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"https:\/\/wildlife-species.az.ec.gc.ca\/species-risk-registry\/virtual_sara\/files\/plans\/mp_western_grebe_e_final.pdf\">https:\/\/wildlife-species.az.ec.gc.ca\/species-risk-registry\/virtual_sara\/files\/\/plans\/mp_western_grebe_e_final.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Fox, C. H., O&#8217;Hara, P. D., Bertazzon, S., Morgan, K., Underwood, F. E., &amp; Paquet, P. C. (2016). A preliminary spatial assessment of risk: Marine birds and chronic oil pollution on canada&#8217;s pacific coast.<em>&nbsp;Science of the Total Environment,&nbsp;573<\/em>, 799-809.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2016.08.145\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2016.08.145<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Hayes, F. E., &amp; Turner, D. G. (2017). Copulation Behavior in Western Grebe (<em>Aechmophorus occidentalis<\/em>) and Clark&#8217;s Grebe (<em>Aechmophorus clarkii<\/em>). <em>Waterbirds (De Leon Springs, Fla.),&nbsp;40<\/em>(2), 168-172.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1675\/063.040.0209\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1675\/063.040.0209<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Howie, R. (2015). Western Grebe. In P.J.A. Davidson, R.J. Cannings, A.R. Couturier, D. Lepage, and C.M. Di Corrado (Eds.), <em>The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of British Columbia, 2008\u20132012<\/em>. Bird Studies Canada. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.birdatlas.bc.ca\/accounts\/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=WEGR&amp;lang=en\">http:\/\/www.birdatlas.bc.ca\/accounts\/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=WEGR&amp;lang=en<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Lachman, D. A., Conway, C. J., Vierling, K. T., Matthews, T., &amp; Mack, D. E. (2022). Drones and bathymetry show the importance of optimal water depth for nest placement within breeding colonies of western and Clark\u2019s Grebes. <em>Wetlands (Wilmington, N.C.), 42<\/em>(8), 110. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s13157-022-01602-1\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s13157-022-01602-1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Lachman, D., Conway, C., Vierling, K., &amp; Matthews, T. (2020). Drones provide a better method to find nests and estimate nest survival for colonial waterbirds: A demonstration with western grebes.<em>&nbsp;Wetlands Ecology and Management,&nbsp;28<\/em>(5), 837-845.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11273-020-09743-y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11273-020-09743-y<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">McKellar, A. E. (2022). Patterns of inter- and intraspecific nest dispersion in colonies of gulls and grebes based on drone imagery. <em>Journal of Field Ornithology, 93<\/em>(2), 4. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5751\/JFO-00099-930204\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5751\/JFO-00099-930204<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">McKellar, A. E., Shephard, N. G., Chabot, D., Horning, N., &amp; Mulero\u2010Pazmany, M. (2021). Dual visible\u2010thermal camera approach facilitates drone surveys of colonial marshbirds. <em>Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 7<\/em>(2), 214-226. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/rse2.183\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/rse2.183<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Milwaukee Public Museum (2022). <em>Ojibwe Oral Tradition<\/em>. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mpm.edu\/content\/wirp\/ICW-141\">https:\/\/www.mpm.edu\/content\/wirp\/ICW-141<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">National Audubon Society (Audubon) (2024). <em>Western Grebe<\/em>. Retrieved September 2024, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/field-guide\/bird\/western-grebe\">https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/field-guide\/bird\/western-grebe<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Sibley, D. A. (2016).&nbsp;<em>The Sibley field guide to birds of western North America<\/em>. (2nd ed.). Alfred A. Knopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dive elegantly into WEGRs&#8217; mysterious waters full of synchronized swimming, nest-stealing, and weed-ceremonies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5785,"featured_media":6297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":"[]"},"categories":[1],"tags":[31,76,64,34],"class_list":["post-6248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-biol-325","tag-grebe","tag-ornithology","tag-viu-ornithology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5785"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6248"}],"version-history":[{"count":97,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7075,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6248\/revisions\/7075"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}