Junin grebe
Junin grebe | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Adult swimming | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Podicipediformes |
Family: | Podicipedidae |
Genus: | Podiceps |
Species: | P. taczanowskii
|
Binomial name | |
Podiceps taczanowskii Stolzmann , 1894 | |
![]() | |
Range in center of circle |
The Junin grebe (Podiceps taczanowskii), also known as Junin flightless grebe or puna grebe, is a species of
Taxonomy
The scientific name commemorates the Polish zoologist Władysław Taczanowski, author of Ornithology of Peru (1884–86).
Description
With a size of approximately 35 cm (14 in), the Junin grebe has a dark grey crown extending down the back of its neck to a black back. It has white lower parts of the face, neck and underparts, with a narrow grey bill. Perhaps the most striking feature is its bright red eyes.
The calls of the Junin grebe include melodic whistles doo' ith, wit, and a longer phooee-th when trying to attract a mate.[2][4]
Behaviour and ecology
Breeding
Courtship involves two grebes facing breast to breast and turning their head quickly from side to side, called 'head-shaking'.[4] The nests of Junin grebes are built in reed beds around the border of Lake Junin, and a typical clutch size is two eggs, laid in December or January. The grebe generally breeds in bays and channels around the edge of the lake, within 8–75 m (26–246 ft) of reed beds, entering the reeds only for nesting or roosting. In years when the water level of the lake is particularly low, no young are raised.[3][4] When not breeding, Junin grebe prefer open water, moving far out from lake shores.
Feeding
About 90% of the diet of the Junin grebe is small fish, especially those less than 2.5 cm (1 in) long, with the remaining part of its diet being small invertebrates.[5] Fish are caught with its excellent diving skills, but insects may also be caught at the surface.[5] They can be often seen feeding and diving simultaneously in small groups.[4]
Distribution and habitat
Junin grebes are only found in and around Lake Junin, in west-central Peru. The lake covers approximately 140 km2 (54 sq mi) and at its deepest is 10 m (33 ft) deep, although most of the lake is less than 5 m (16 ft) deep. Around the borders of the lake are substantial reed marshes, where the grebes nest and roost.[3][4]
Conservation status
Lake Junin has been classed as a
Large fluctuations in water levels, caused by a nearby
A local organisation, Asociaciόn Ecosistemas Andinos, is working to educate local people about the Junin grebe and the
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Junin Grebe (Podiceps taczanowskii) - BirdLife species factsheet". BirdLife. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
- ^ a b c d e "EDGE of Existence". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Junín grebe videos, photos and facts - Podiceps taczanowskii". ARKive. Archived from the original on 2018-01-06. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
- ^ ISBN 978-8487334108.
- ^ "Grebes Take a Dive Toward Extinction, the World Over". All About Birds. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
- .
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikispecies-logo.svg/34px-Wikispecies-logo.svg.png)
- BirdLife species factsheet for Podiceps taczanowskii
- "Podiceps taczanowskii". Avibase.
- "Junin flightless grebe media". Internet Bird Collection.
- Junin Grebe species account at Neotropical Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
- Interactive range map of Podiceps taczanowskii at IUCN Red List maps
- Audio recordings of Junin Grebe on Xeno-canto.