There are some creatures in the universe that make us think that appearance is only half of the story.
A Swinger: King of Saxony
King of Saxony is the only bird species with the longest head feather and these long majestic feathers are very important in influencing females. Living in the same area with hundreds of other birds, these birds must first appear to the females. To do this, they make noises to attract female birds’ attention. When the female reveals herself, the show moves from the upper branches to the lower branches.
Females evaluate males according to their entire characteristics. That’s a long test and a hard period. There are a few very important points: how high the males swing, the length of the feathers on the heads of the males, and most importantly, how they shake them. The higher the score of the male from female in this competition, the more likely it is that mating will occur. If mating doesn’t happen, it means the male will keep going.
The Pole Dancers: Black Sicklebill
Now our scene is changing! We have a wooden stool, the top of which is 3 meters above the ground. It’s not very long but it’s an impressive performance space for Black Sicklebill (SB, for short). In forests, where there is no shortage of food, the only thing that all females and males care about is dating.
For many years, researchers couldn’t understand why SB had shoulder hair but it appears during the courtship that these shoulders exist to create an impression of a ‘wave’. He lifts his shoulders and moves sideways, creating a spectacular wave. Females look not only at the ‘wave’, but they also look at how bright their feathers are. Bright feathers are also proof of how fit SBs are. They aren’t always lucky enough to find a mate but they don’t give up. They continue to try it the next day in the morning. Again and again and again. Some SBs may not find a mate for the rest of their lives but they do exist for proclamation. They say ‘just trust the process’.
The Artist: Flame BowerBirds
Let me introduce the gorgeous, impressive, eye-catching, furry: Flame Bowerbird. It’s one of the most vibrant bird species in the world. He has another outstanding quality. He makes a nest called a bower. It usually takes a few weeks to make this bower. It impresses the female with his bower as well as his own appearance. Great charm!
Making a bower is an important element for mating and males need to take care of the bower. Every branch in the bower has a special place and details are very important. It takes a long time to build a bower like this and sometimes it can be frustrating because it’s really hard to make the bower and set up the garden. The decor of the garden is usually suitable for local fashion. Think of yourself. Wouldn’t you get used to someone who dresses like you and looks like you?
As I said, looks are just half of the story. When the female bird arrives, the male must be able to show off his skills immediately or the lady will run away! Males are trying a few methods to attract females to the bower. For example, they change their pupil. They can also change their right and left pupils to different sizes. As the most advanced creatures even we humans can’t do that. Everything has a dose. If a man does too much of this great show, he can scare the female. They must be careful. There’s another tactic: Dance!
These birds have a unique dance: Matador Dance. It’s not easy to describe this magnificent view but at least I’ll try. They dance to the remarkable collared object they hold with their beaks, waving their bodies like a matador. Nod, body shake, hair puff, butt movement and tail wagging! It’s a great choreography so it’s hard not to be impressed!
All these show us that we must respect nature and the beauty it hides inside.
Photo Credits:
https://www.phototrips.ch/westpapuatop
https://enviearth.com/flame-bowerbird-one-of-brilliantly-colored-bowerbird/
https://alchetron.com/Flame-bowerbird
https://themoviemylife.com/tag/the-black-sicklebill/
https://www.charismaticplanet.com/king-saxony-bird-paradise/