Sungrebe: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Ducks, Geese and Grebes · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. Male sungrebes carry their hatchlings in a skin-fold pouch under each wing, a trait no other bird has.
2. Long, curved feathers hold the chicks in the pouch even while the male dives or flies.
3. After hatching, the male moves the chicks into the pouch, feeds them and removes their waste until they can swim.
4. Sungrebe eggs hatch after just 10 to 11 days. A clutch usually holds two to four eggs.
5. A sungrebe sighted in New Mexico on 13 November 2008 was the first historical record of the species in the United States.

The quiz

1. Where do male sungrebes carry their hatchlings?

• In a pouch under each wing (correct)
• On their backs
• In their beaks
• In a floating nest

Males carry hatchlings in a skin-fold pouch under each wing.

2. What holds the chicks in the pouch while the male dives or flies?

• Sticky mud
• Strong claws
• Long, curved feathers (correct)
• Plant stems

A wall of long, curved feathers holds them in place.

3. Who feeds the chicks and removes their waste after hatching?

• The female
• The male (correct)
• Both parents together
• Other adults of the flock

The male feeds them and removes waste until they can swim.

4. How long do sungrebe eggs take to hatch?

• 3 to 4 days
• 30 to 31 days
• 60 to 61 days
• 10 to 11 days (correct)

Eggs hatch after just 10 to 11 days.

5. In which year was a sungrebe first historically recorded in the United States?

• 2008 (correct)
• 1940
• 1998
• 2018

The New Mexico sighting in 2008 was the first historical US record.

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