These showy males are squaring up in Kuusamo, Finland, a popular hang-out spot for black grouse as they take part in a flamboyant courtship ritual. They fan their tail feathers and inflate their necks while letting out a murmuring coo, hoping that a female selects them. This communal display is called lekking, and though we only see two birds here, these groups can number up to 200. Black grouse aren"t the only animals known to participate in leks—bats, paper wasps, Atlantic cod, and fiddler crabs are among the many other species which go to the same lengths to find the right mate.
Black grouses lekking
Today in History
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Surströmming Day
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Three Natural Bridges, Wulong Karst, China
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Silent night, sparkling lights, and hearts full of joy
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Happy Halloween!
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World Water Day
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D-Day remembered
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Red fox in the Netherlands
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Pollinator Week
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Composite image of a lunar eclipse
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Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
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Friendship Day in the City of Brotherly Love
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Lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau in Provence, France
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It’s oh so quiet
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Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain
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Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, Australia
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Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, Indonesia
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Fallen but not forgotten
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A picture-perfect day on Trillium
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

