We’re still a few weeks away from the main breeding season, but many birds will already be getting ready for their most romantic time of the year. Keep an eye out for these behaviours in the coming months, some of which aren’t too dissimilar to our own courtship methods!
Singing
Nothing beats heading out on a bright spring morning, listening to the sweet songs of a blackbird, a mistle thrush or a humble robin. Many prospective partners tend to agree, as this is one of the most common methods used to attract a mate.
It’s not all chirps and tweets though. Like with humans, there are a wide range of musical tastes in the bird world. Capercaillie perform a series of clicks and pops, curlews ‘bubble’ and there are few sounds more fun to imitate than the ar-ooOO of an eider.
Once a male bird finds a partner, he tends to sing a lot less. So spare a thought for that poor sparrow still belting out tunes late into the summer.
Robins are among the few birds which sing all year round.
Dancing
What’s the perfect accompaniment to a good tune? Cutting some shapes on the dance floor of course! And there are lots of birds that don’t disappoint in that regard. Skylarks display by climbing near-vertically to heights of up to 300m before parachuting back to earth, singing as they go. Then there are hen harriers, aptly named “skydancers” due to their roller coaster-like dips, twists and turns.
Sometimes however, dancing just isn’t the same without a partner. White-tailed eagle pairs will weave through the sky together, brushing wings and even locking talons on occasion. That blows any waltz or two-step we could manage right out of the water.
And speaking of water, keep an eye out for some great crested grebes in a pond near you.
Springwatch or Strictly?
Appearance
If they don’t have dazzling dance moves or the voice of an angel, many birds fall back on the tried and tested method of simply looking their best. Whether it’s the stylish crest of a shag or the brilliant bill of a puffin, who can resist these fashionable fliers?
Generally it’s the males that dress up for the season, but many ladies like to look their best as well. Female red-necked phalaropes have much brighter, rust-coloured throats than their male counterparts – handy for a bird that often attracts multiple mates in a single season.
Even though they tend not to breed in Scotland (and are rare here at any time of year), a special shout out must go to ruffs. A fairly non-descript wader in winter, they develop a spectacular flourish of neck feathers in the summer, so much so that you could easily mistake them for an entirely different species!
The height of 17th century fashion. Image credit: Mike Richards
To learn more about the different mating practices of birds, visit our website.
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