Springtime is high-fashion season for the ruff. In wetlands across northern Europe and Asia, these medium-sized waders gather in marshes to form leks, which are small breeding areas used for courtship displays. Dominant males (also called independents) like the fancy fellow on our homepage, fluff up their colored and intricately patterned capes and collars and mock fight with each other. Their aim? Each wants to secure a prime spot on the lek to showcase his finery and entice watching females to choose him as a mate.
Making it work—in Norway
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Who s there? The largest owl in the world
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Invisible no longer
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Snow aglow in central Japan
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A holiday beacon of light
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It s a good day to be green
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The ‘Living Forest’ in Biscay, Spain
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A silent witness to history
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Moody skies over Valletta
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Taking the scenic route to Sturgis
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The monsoon arrives in the desert
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Chapel of St. Michel on Lake Serre-Ponçon, Hautes-Alpes, France
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Hey, don t you guys have somewhere to be?
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International Day of Friendship
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The ruins of a Maya superpower
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A winter light show
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A path to access
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It’s Penguin Awareness Day
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The mighty, mighty mushroom
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For the love of bikes
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It s harvest time on World Food Day