Pied-billed Grebe eating a feather – Canon R7, beanbag, f8, 1/1250, ISO 800, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light
On one of my recent trips to Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge this week, I had fun photographing a Pied-billed Grebe eating a feather at Miner’s Cove.
The grebe was close to where I sat in my Jeep on the road watching it preen. It dawned on me as I photographed the fluffy water bird that I hadn’t shared any photos of Pied-billed Grebes since leaving Utah.
Next month is my two year anniversary of seeing the last of Utah in my rear view mirror. Where has time gone?
Back to the grebe eating its own feather:
Pied-billed Grebes eating their own feathers looks odd at first, but it actually serves a purpose. Those feathers form a soft, felt-like layer in the stomach that helps cushion sharp fish bones and other hard bits they swallow whole. It’s a built-in way to protect their digestive tract.
That feathery layer also helps them bundle up indigestible material into pellets, which they can later bring back up. Kind of like their own cleanup system after a meal.
Strange behavior, smart design. Nature doesn’t waste a thing.
I frequently see Pied-billed Grebes at the refuge but it isn’t often that I have one up close like this bird was. Having it in my viewfinder was a nice treat.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Pied-billed Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.
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