Western grebes performing a courtship ritual in the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, U.S.A., 1969 Part 2

In the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, pairs of western grebe birds are seen running over the water in a river during a courtship ritual Utah, U.S.A., 1969. Part 2. When a pair of Western Grebes decides it’s time to mate, they call loudly and approach one another. Each bird curves, then straightens, its long neck gracefully. They then face each other, necks on the water’s surface, their bills flipping up drops of water. If attraction prevails, they rush together and off they go across the water, running on the surface side by side. The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge encompasses the Bear River and its delta where it flows into the northern part of the Great Salt Lake in eastern Box Elder County. It includes a variety of habitats, such as open water, mudflats, wetlands, and uplands. The refuge hosts millions of migratory birds each year including species such as bald eagle and tundra swan. There are more than 41,000 acres (170 km2) of freshwater wetlands. The Refuge is approx. 80,000 acres of Federal and State lands that are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The surrounding lands are occupied by multiple hunting clubs along the bird migration route.