It appeared to be an ancient courting ritual I was watching in the light of the dying sun.
Indeed, that is what was taking place far out on the waters of Kootenay Lake: the penguin dance of the Horned Grebes.
The penguin dance was described and named a century ago by the English biologist, Julian Huxley. He watched the manoeuvres of the Crested Grebe (not the Horned Grebes that I saw) and observed:
finally the whole bird save for a few inches was standing erect in the water, and reminded me of nothing so much as the hypnotized phantom of a rather slender Penguin.
Along with the many things Huxley described, my grebes also bumped bellies and nudged bills.
Horned Grebes are monogamous (as are other grebes), but apparently reestablish commitment in this way in the late winter or early spring. Spring? This is early January. Could this reflect the mild winter we are having?
Hi there sweetie!
