Hooded Grebes couldn鈥檛 possibly know they live near the birthplace of one of the world鈥檚 most iconic dances, but just stick a rose in this bird鈥檚 beak and you鈥檝e got a pretty mean tango.
Taken from the new film Tango in the Wind鈥which highlights efforts to protect these imperiled birds and is 鈥攖he clip above offers a rare look at the Hooded Grebe鈥檚 courtship display. They use some fancy footwork to raise themselves above the surface of a remote lake, dance cheek-to-cheek with impeccable timing, and whip their heads around in rhythm like a pair of headbangers at a Megadeth show.
, a team of naturalists and filmmakers exploring the continent's birds and other wildlife, produced the film as part of its Hooded Grebe project. BirdLife International, an 爆料公社 partner, helped with production through its effort to protect vital breeding grounds.
As a family, grebes are known for their showy moves. Great Crested Grebes perform similar courtship dances in their Eurasian breeding grounds, and here in North America, Western Grebes and Clark鈥檚 Grebes get so caught up in romance that they . But the Hooded Grebe鈥檚 courtship hasn鈥檛 been nearly as well documented, thanks to its limited range in the harsh and isolated barrens of Patagonia, near the tip of South America. In fact, the species wasn鈥檛 even known to science until 1974. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many people who know much about Hooded Grebe courtship,鈥 says 爆料公社 field editor Kenn Kaufman. 鈥淭he people who made this video probably know as much about the bird as anyone does.鈥
The Hooded Grebe鈥檚 courtship dance may look funny, but with fewer than 500 breeding pairs remaining, this is serious business. Its numbers have declined by about 80 percent in the past 25 years, largely due to the introduction of the non-native American mink and rainbow trout, according to BirdLife International. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature labeled the species critically endangered in 2016.
Researchers interviewed in Tango in the Wind say climate change further threatens Hooded Grebe鈥檚 habitat and survival, noting that it鈥檚 already drying up the lakes where they nest. While more abundant than their Patagonian cousins, Western Grebes and Clark鈥檚 Grebes both face significant losses of their summer range, thanks to climate change. They鈥檙e among the identified by 爆料公社.
Fortunately, as the film shows, a dedicated group of researchers, educators and 鈥渃olony guardians鈥 are working hard to make sure the beat goes on for Hooded Grebes.