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Usually present in reedbeds and different well-vegetated wetlands, these small shiny black birds have vivid tufts of golden feathers behind their vibrant purple eye and, right now of yr, begin to carry out a fascinating “dance”.
This spectacular courtship show sees the female and male swimming in tandem, mirroring one another’s actions, wagging heads and culminating in a ‘penguin dance’ as they stand up out of the water breast to breast. Once these efforts to woo a mate are profitable, they go on to build floating nests amongst the reeds.
Following conservation efforts, breeding numbers of those putting birds are on the rise at RSPB nature reserves, particularly at RSPB St Aidan’s Nature Park, close to Leeds, which celebrated a report yr for Black-necked Grebes in 2023 and is now home to round 30% of the UK breeding inhabitants of this uncommon and vulnerable species.
At the West Yorkshire nature reserve, habitat work has been undertaken by the RSPB’s skilled conservationists, together with a crew of volunteers, in an effort to rigorously handle water ranges and create new areas of shallow water and dense reeds inside which the birds can carry out their dance, feed and nest.
The report 18 breeding pairs that had been counted at RSPB St Aidan’s additionally fledged the joint second highest depend of chicks, 12 in complete.
The indisputable fact that numbers of breeding pairs are rising presents hope that future numbers of fledgling Black-necked Grebes will improve additional.
Talking of the species’ success, John Ingham, warden at RSPB St Aidan’s, stated: “Black-necked Grebes aren’t just one of the rarest breeding birds in the UK – they are also one of the most beautiful. Unmistakable with that piercing red eye, and golden ear tufts, at a distance they may be quite unassuming with their diminutive size, but up close they are simply stunning.
“Based on the successful breeding season last year and mild winter, we would hope for good numbers of Black-necked Grebe again this spring at RSPB St Aidan’s.
“But as with much of our wildlife, they face many challenges such as loss of wetland habitats, extreme weather events caused by climate change, declines in small fish and invertebrates they rely on for feeding, predation, and potentially, increased incidences of diseases such as avian influenza.
“These threats make our work to maintain the perfect habitat conditions for wildlife like Black-necked Grebes all the more important, especially if we are to enjoy the arrival of these beautiful birds at RSPB nature reserves for many years to come.”
Despite the challenges Black-necked Grebes are dealing with as a result of nature and local weather emergency, the birds are more likely to proceed to reach at RSPB nature reserves all through March, and numbers are anticipated to peak in mid-April earlier than they disappear into the reeds to nest.
Visitors are requested to maintain to the paths to assist these uncommon birds stay undisturbed, particularly throughout the breeding season, although fortunately nature reserves corresponding to RSPB St Aidan’s provide sensible views of Black-necked Grebes from the community of paths.
A quite a few chicken all through North America, Europe and Asia, the UK is correct on the sting of the Black-necked Grebe’s breeding vary, and so the UK inhabitants could be very small in quantity.
Over the final 5 years, the inhabitants has averaged at round 54 pairs, that means the species is amber listed within the UK.
During winter, Black-necked Grebes hunker down on wetlands, massive reservoirs and in coastal areas, however spring marks their annual return to nature reserves throughout the UK to breed.
