Hi everyone
As some of you may know, I've posted a couple of threads about the Australasian Grebes who live on our dam and have raised a family.
I haven't mentioned in any of my posts, that throughout the whole time I have been watching and photographing these lovely little birds, there has been at least one Dusky Moorhen which has been acting as a family member.
I'm interested in finding out whether anyone else has noticed this type of behaviour?
I've noticed the following:
- Befriending the lone Grebe who appeared around November - the Grebe and the Moorhen were usually within a few metres of each other.
- Welcoming the second Grebe who arrived perhaps early January - the Moorhen stayed quite close during the courting, when they built their nest, and as the babies hatched.
- The Moorhen was their "Early Warning System" whenever anyone or anything approached the dam. I tried sneaking up lots of times to get photos, the Moorhen would scream out and alert the Grebes.
- during the time that the Grebes were feeding their babies, swimming around with them on their backs, etc, the Moorhen was always on the same side of the dam as they were.
- The grebes lost two of their babies, not known what happened.
- When down to only one baby left, after helping the female for about a week with feeding etc, the male disappeared. I'd like to think he just flew away but I just don't know. He did get told off a lot around this time, so probably didn't like being "henpecked"
- Mum and bubs were always near the Moorhen for the following couple of weeks - to find them I just had to look for the bigger bird and there they were.
This week I haven't had time to do any wandering around, so haven't been near the dam to see how things were going. This is what I saw yesterday:
- Dusky Moorhen spotted at the very edge of the dam under grasses - took a couple of photos
- It called out a couple of times, then I saw the baby Grebe come out to it's call!
- No mother Grebe anywhere, just the baby (now almost fully grown), the Moorhen and a duck.
- The Moorhen made sure the baby was feeding etc, all the things the mother Grebe had been doing.
Is this normal?
I'll post a couple of photos in a minute, just want to make sure this query goes onto the website.
Thanks
Chris
(Victoria Point, Qld)
this morning
Some more from this morning.
I'll have a look for some earlier ones with the Moorhen keeping close to the Grebes in general and post them shortly
Chris
Excellent observations! I haven't seen anything like this. The only interaction I've seen is a raft of about 100 Hoary Headed Grebes always having 2 seagulls in attendance.
Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/
I have to say, on my local lake, the Grebe, Dusky Moorhens, Purple Swamphens and the Coots all are very close together. And like you say, after some time the male Grebe does not take part in looking after the young anymore. Other than that, I haven't observed them for long enough.
M-L
Interesting isn't it?
One from earlier days when the Grebe babies were little is below, shows how close the Moorhen tended to stay to them.
Not saying how many photos are in my Grebes folder, but well over the 1k mark
- guess I need to go through them and delete the "not so perfect" shots.
Anyway, our dam is quite small compared to some - probably only about 25 to 30 metres across at the widest point but I'm just guessing.
We have resident Pacific Ducks, the Grebes, the Moorhens and of course the mob of Purple Swamp Hens. Just the other day a Coot arrived to have a look around and promptly got chased away! The Swamp Hens had a go at it while it was walking around, then when it landed on the dam the Moorhens went into overdrive. Poor Coot got the message big time.
At least I got to see one for my list of birds - and a couple of blurry photos for the albums. I don't think it is likely to return.
Chris
Australasian grebes on our neighbour's dam bred two young. Shortly after the young hatched a Eurasian coot appeared, the first I've ever seen on this dam. The coot kept fairly close to the grebe family. Now the grebe parents have departed leaving the young grebes with the Eurasian coot which seems always to be within a few meters of the youngsters. There are also up to 59 grey teal on the dam.