Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps)
Pied-billed Grebes are a type of aquatic diving bird. Although they look like ducks, coots, or loons, they are most closely related to flamingos. Often described as “part bird, part submarine,” they are known for their amazing diving skills. The genus in their scientific name, Podilymbus, means “feet at the buttocks” because their feet are close to their backside to help them propel through the water. They have lobed feet instead of webbed feet like ducks. They sure do move fast! Grebes have dense and waterproof feathers that they can adjust to change their buoyancy in the water. This allows them submerge most of their body underwater.
Pied-billed Grebes are small and chunky with a compact body and blocky head. They have a short, thick yellow-brown bill during nonbreeding season, but during the breeding season, the bill is white with a vertical black band, giving the descriptor “pied” to their name.
Pied-billed Grebes eat mostly crustaceans and small fish, but will also eat crabs, shrimps, snails, mussels, and aquatic insects and/or their larvae. A unique behavior with grebes is that they eat their own feathers and feed them to their young; the feathers act as sieves the prevent parts of their prey from passing too far into their digestive tract. Like birds of prey, they will regurgitate a pellet.
Look for these birds in freshwater areas but look fast – they dive down and swim away quickly!
* Thanks to allaboutbirds.org.