This blog introduces the breeding and child-rearing struggle of little grebes that bred in Inokashira Park in 2018.
The chicks who had been observing the previous year were wiped out. Let's see the whole story until the chicks grow up well this year! I started writing this blog.
What happened to only two chicks that had four? June 15th, Aquatic Life House
What happened to the Little Grebe in the Aquatic Life House, which had been reduced to four on June 14th?
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The Little Grebe family at the Aquatic Life House, which originally had five chicks.
When I went to see it on June 14, I found only two birds.
What's wrong?
Only one parent bird can be seen.
Where has the other parent bird gone?
According to sightings, one chick was being attacked by a parent bird.
It is said that the parent bird chased the fleeing chick and relentlessly poked and attacked it.
Last year, although not so bad, the behavior of parent birds thinning out their offspring was observed several times.
Feed only selected chicks, not other chicks.
Even if they approach for food, they will drive them away without feeding them.
The brothers also imitate the parent bird and bullishly tease the solid.
The solid that is killed will be damaged both mentally and physically, and will disappear before you know it.
Parental infanticide is a behavior that has been observed in other animals and is not particularly uncommon.
With less food, the smaller the number of chicks, the more likely it is to grow chicks safely.
The sooner it is, the better.
The parent bird deliberately reduces the number depending on the situation.
I don't know if it's physiological or intentional.
Even if I knew it made sense, the appearance of a small chick being killed seems to be very messy to see.
If you are killed by a foreign enemy, you can't help but give up.
Is the feeding situation so serious here?
No, I don't think that's the case.
Although the aquatic plants are growing, the pond was dried up during the winter.
Many of the eggs of small animals may have died.
(At a later date, I heard from witnesses that I saw it in person, and it was the parent bird that came from the neighbor Nanaibashi family that was attacking this chick. If so, the territory conflict, the family of the aquatic life house Was defeated.)
The chick that seems to have been kicked out escaped and was witnessed near Komae Bridge downstream.
Naked chicks have almost no way to survive in the midst of being unprotected by their parents and being snarled by foreign enemies.
I'm sorry, but I can't help it.
The other chick was killed by a soft-shelled turtle, according to eyewitness testimony.
Is it a soft-shelled turtle that was always looking at the chick next to the nest?
It is the same for them that there is little food, and when breathing, observe the water surface well
Even a small chick, a homeothermic soft-shelled turtle, seems to be hungry for days.
The soft-shelled turtle may have been observing the state of the little grebe from under the clear water of the pond and waiting for a chance to attack the chicks.
It seemed to be going well, but I can't see the five cheerful figures anymore. It's a shame. June 5th
What about the Bentenike family?
Four chicks have successfully hatched, only one remains June 14th
Benten Pond, one chick has steadily increased.
Will the last egg hatch tomorrow?
What about the Nanai Bridge family, which is hidden behind the bushes and almost invisible?
Am I doing it safely? I'm not sure because it's hidden behind a reed. June 14th
There is no sign, so it looks like the eggs haven't hatched yet.
How about the gourd pond family, where eggs are about to hatch?
You can see 4 eggs. June 14th
It looks like it hasn't hatched yet.
The color of the egg is also beige.
Everywhere is about to become a baby rush where eggs hatch.
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to be continued
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