Grebe

/ɡriːb/ noun

Definition

A water bird with a sleek body, short tail, and legs positioned far back on its body, making it excellent at diving but clumsy on land.

Etymology

From French 'grèbe', of uncertain origin—possibly from Celtic or Germanic roots, but the exact etymology remains disputed by ornithologists and linguists.

Kelly Says

Grebes are so perfectly adapted to water that they can barely walk on land—their leg placement is like having your knees backward compared to other birds! Some species have become flightless because diving is so much more reliable than flying.

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