Rare Footage of Birds Performing a Fabulous Tango Style Courtship Ritual In a Patagonian Lake

Nature photographers Michael and Paula Webster in partnership with Birdlife International, captured for the very first time for their film “Tango in the Wind“, absolutely wonderful footage of a pair of rare and critically endangered hooded grebes in Patagonia, Argentina who were performing a really amazing courtship ritual in the water. Their moves were so deliberately coordinated that it appeared at times they were doing the Tango, a sultry dance that also originated in Argentina.

The Hooded Grebe is a Critically Endangered bird that breeds on a few basaltic lakes in the interior of Santa Cruz, extreme south-west Argentina. Film by Michael and Paula Webster featuring the Hooded Grebe and it’s spectacular courting ritual.

The full film “Tango in the Wind” by Michael and Paula Webster is available for viewing on Vimeo.

The Hooded Grebe. Maca Tobiano. This bird is critically endangered, close to extinction. What threats does it face? Who is working to save it? Will they succeed?
The” Living Wild in South America” film team spent 6 months in Patagonia with this beautiful bird. Never before has its amazing courtship been filmed in such detail.

The Websters also created “Tango Patagonia“, a wonderful shorter version of the film interspersing the courtship ritual of these birds with footage of the dance itself.