With a name like ‘widowbird,’ you’d expect this dusky male to have a low-key love life. But those 20-inch-long tail feathers are highly favored by females, even though they can make it difficult for the males to fly on windy days. The display has been the subject of much study regarding sexually selected traits and the tradeoffs between physical constraint and attracting a mate, since the tail feathers don’t seem to aid in flight and may even cause a hinderance. Ah, the things we do for love.
Longtailed widowbird at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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A glimpse of the Blue Forest
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National Park Week: Yosemite National Park, California
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Sunny day, sweepin the clouds away
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Seville celebrates first world tour
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Oktoberfest
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Bird s-eye view on World Environment Day
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Jan van Eyckplein in Bruges, Belgium
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Brown bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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Turning darkness into light
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Wild turkeys in repose
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Dashing through the snow
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Honoring our fallen heroes
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An ancient sailing tradition takes to the water
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A different kind of dive
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Looking back on 150 years of rail travel
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A bridge that rocks
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Singing praises of the oceans
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Waiting for winter
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St. Paul Winter Carnival
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Schönbrunn Palace Park, Vienna, Austria
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Memorial Day
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International Womens Day
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Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
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The Cathedral of Florence, Italy
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Happy 50th for the National Trails System!
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International Surfing Day
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Whoopin it up!
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Rosa Parks Day
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International Lighthouse Weekend
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Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy