The tundra's most extravagant visitors have just arrived.
Male ruffs, desperate for attention. This is a lekking ground.
Here, males defend their own tiny patch of tundra, performing elaborate dances to seduce their female audience.
Whenever boundaries are crossed, fights break out. But there are some who don't play by these rules.
Ruffs with white feathers are genetically different. They will never hold a dancing patch of their own.
They’re less aggressive than the other males. And perhaps that's why the dominant dancers tolerate their presence.
But white ruffs have their own mating strategy.
He'll endure the leading male’s ego, if it means he can get a little closer to the ladies.
But too close, and he's quickly put back in his place. He'll need to be a little sneakier.
Perhaps he can trick this orange-maned male.
An intruder interrupts. This is his moment. The white ruff steals the show.
And there's nothing his competition can do about it. He'll take every chance he can get.
And with endless daylight on his side, he has plenty of time to push his luck.
The mating strategies of male ruffs (Philomachus pugnax), a species of wading bird, are quite fascinating and involve complex behaviors and displays. Male ruffs exhibit three distinct alternative mating strategies: territorial males, satellite males, and faeder males.
1. Territorial Males: These males establish and defend small territories on leks, which are traditional breeding grounds where males gather to display and attract females. Territorial males perform elaborate displays to attract females and deter competing males. They have brightly colored ornamental feathers on their necks (known as "collars") that they use in displays to impress females and intimidate rivals.
2. Satellite Males: Satellite males adopt a different strategy by avoiding direct competition with territorial males. Instead of defending territories, satellite males mimic female appearances and behaviors to sneak closer to mating opportunities. They typically lack the elaborate collar plumage and try to avoid confrontation with dominant males.
3. Faeder Males: Faeder males are a third strategy observed in ruffs, where they mimic female plumage even more closely than satellite males. This strategy allows them to infiltrate leks without being recognized as males by the dominant territorial males. Faeder males attempt to copulate with females while avoiding aggression from other males.
The male ruff's mating strategies are influenced by various factors, including genetic predisposition and environmental conditions. The presence of different mating strategies within a population can contribute to maintaining genetic diversity and ensuring reproductive success even under changing environmental circumstances. This behavioral diversity also plays a role in the evolution and adaptation of the species over time.
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