How do grebes build their nests?

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Slavonian, or horned, grebe (Podiceps auritus) — Grebe Slavonian, or horned, grebe (*Podiceps auritus*)

Grebes build their nests by constructing one or more floating platforms made of aquatic vegetation. Both parents participate in the building process, which occurs after pair formation. These platforms serve as the site for mating and for laying three to seven unmarked, chalky white eggs.1

When leaving the nest, adult grebes often cover their eggs with the soggy nest material, which helps stain the eggs over the course of the three-to-four-week incubation period. In most instances, the nest is abandoned once the young have hatched.1