Daggers Out, Let’s Dance Grebe Tango

Love Requited in Great Crested Grebes’ Style

Catching a pair of great crested grebes perform the ‘entire’ courtship dance routine, otherwise known as ‘weed dance’ was pretty high on my list of photographic want-to-do’s for several years but something I had failed to achieve. I became more frustrated because rarity wasn’t an issue here - London has abundance of great crested grebes in park ponds and lakes but catching them at it turned out to be tricky.

A Scene from their Ordinary Head Flicking Courtship Routine

For those not entirely familiar, you can normally see a pair perform ‘head flicking’ or ‘mirroring’ rituals to solidify their bond. Although delicate and ballet-like, there is no climax. Whereas the weed dance is more like a crescendo of their bonding ritual where the two mates, having finished their ‘mirroring’ courtship, seemingly part ways by swimming in opposite directions from one another before diving to grab a suitable underwater plant, swim back towards each other at such speeds as if to collide into each other, beak first. But just before the devastating frontal collision, they both stand up on their hind legs and keep on kicking the water so as to remain standing (imagine a penguin!), chest to chest, flick their beaks in utter bird ecstasy, swinging soggy water plant at each other which is meant to be a token of love to the other party.

I used to spend hours and days for several years freezing my backside sitting on a cold lake shore, waiting to spot one to no avail. But that changed this year when we had a freaky warm spell.

When I spotted it for the first time, it looked as though the male’s declaration of his love was not reciprocated properly - I say that because he came out of the water with water plant but she didn’t. She did flick her head in jubilation though.

Male: ‘Where is your weed for me?’

Female: ‘Don’t matter. Just slap my face with that weed!’

As I was to find out on subsequent days, this obvious faux pax on the female’s part might have been deliberate - she was playing hard to get. The next day, there was something different in the air. It was warmer, and the lake was becoming more crowded with other great crested grebes with the same idea on their minds, and this created tensions and opportunities for males to demonstrate how strong they are.

Just like on the previous day, this particular pair were swimming together, when an intruder was spotted. The male took notice immediately, swam towards it with a threatening posture. As with other birds that need to establish a secure breeding ground by fighting off competitions, great crested grebes normally celebrate territorial victories by performing a bonding routine immediately afterwards.

What I saw next was fascinating.

They faced each other as if to start their normal intricate head flicking dance. Which happened for a short while, then the male changed pace suddenly by turning around and charged at a non-existent opponent. As you can see in the photo, he is literally running on the water!

Showing Off His Strength and Dominance

The short charge was immediately followed by a posture I had never seen before - I am sure that this is a sex appeal type of posture only done to impress the females but you can make up your mind about this by looking at the next photo.

My eyes were so used to seeing a great crested grebe as a two-toned bird, dark on top and white on the underside. But look at his impressive plumage pattern here. With fully expanded neck scarf, too, his entire attire looks like a strong armour made of metal.

‘Who wouldn’t be impressed!’

His dance extravaganza clearly paid off. After this, they faced each other, ran the mirroring routine and parted ways. I needed to catch my breath after this exciting turn of events. Especially I wanted to review the photo of his posture I never saw before.

Just as I pressed the play button on my camera I spotted one grebe emerging from water with beak full of weeds!!! ‘No!!!!!’ I shouted silently and put the camera to my eye to frame them in focus. ‘This is it, this is it. It’s really happening!’

‘Running into you, well almost.’

‘Jump!’

‘Give the eye to the audience, always.’

When I was doing a research on their behaviour, some birder described great crested grebes’ courtship dance as waltz. I choose to differ. I would say it’s tango, punctuated by passion, sudden mood changes, and impressive postures. And the unmistakable element of danger. Remember that the mates swam towards each other? Never forget, those beaks could do serious damage. But the grebes are willing to risk it to test the potential suitor’s love through this dangerous dance of love. That, to me, is none other than tango.

What do you think? Let me know in the comment section below.