Usually the male Western Grebe catches a medium size fish to feed his babies, the female feeds her young ones with a smaller fish. On the photo above the female Grebe gave her baby a small fish while the male Grebe is fishing in front of his young.
The male Grebe finally caught fish. Usually, before he will feed his young, he will shake fish a few times in the air. Why is he doing it? My guess is to kill fish and get rid of excess water.
Meanwhile, the female is watching how her baby eats fish she gave to him. Fish looks bigger than a shrimp.
The male is giving his catch to his baby.
The young got his fish.
While the young Grebe tries to eat his meal another baby came hoping that he would be also fed.
The father is still watching his baby who is handling fish very well. He is holding fish tightly in his mouth and certainly isn't going to drop it.
His sibling watches with anticipation of being fed also. It doesn't matter that he was already fed a few minutes ago.
It's interesting that the male and the female Grebes know exactly who will be fed next and who can wait for while. They are very selective.
I saw how the strongest and fastest young was charging toward his parent to get fish and was ignored because he was fed already.
***
It's a hard job to feed and raise young ones. Day after day the parents have to feed them constantly. From time to time they take a short break to preen themselves, to bathe or just to swim but then return back to fishing and feeding. Exhausting? Absolutely. But who said that being a parent is an easy job?
