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Mark Billiau.


Premium (World), region Antwerp, Belgium

Great Crested Grebe

The Great Crested Grebe is a graceful bird that lives in vegetated areas of freshwater lakes.

It’s a strong diver and excellent swimmer, but a bad flyer !
This bird doesn’t like to fly as it must do a lot of efforts to lift its body into the air.
Moreover, if it flies, it's preferably always by night.

It’s really very seldom one can see a flying Great Crested Grebe by daylight.
The bird in the picture attempted to depart (in daylight, yes !) but gave up after a few efforts.

In summer, this bird is adorned with beautiful reddish-orange head plumes with black tips.
The species was hunted almost to extinction in the United Kingdom during Victorian times in the 19th century for its head plumes, which were used to decorate hats and ladies' undergarments !

Dutch name : Fuut
German name : Haubentaucher
Latin name : Podiceps cristatus

Shot was made out of this hut

Bird spotting hut
Bird spotting hut
Mark Billiau.

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