How are male and female roles similar during grebe courtship?

During grebe courtship, male and female roles are highly similar and often interchangeable. In nearly all courtship ceremonies, the sexes perform the same ritualized displays, such as head shaking, diving, weed carrying, and rapid water treading in a nearly vertical position.1

This interchangeability extends to precopulatory displays, and reverse mounting has been documented in all grebe species that have been thoroughly studied. Furthermore, both parents share responsibilities for nest building, incubation, and the care of their young.1

While these roles are generally shared, there are exceptions regarding courtship feeding. In the western grebe and the closely related Clark’s grebe, the male feeds the female as part of the courtship process.1