Black grouse males in Kuusamo, Finland

© Markus Varesvuo/Minden Picture

Black grouses lekking

Have you ever gone to a popular spot to try to meet someone new, only to find yourself surrounded by others doing the exact same thing? If so, you know how the male black grouse feels. These showy birds congregate in specific places with other males and do their best to attract the attention of a mate. Their method of attraction involves fanning their tailfeathers and inflating 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 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 species who do.