Watch these birds in Alberta perform a synchronized dance routine to attract a mate
For these birds in Alberta, teamwork really does make the dream work
On the vast grasslands of Alberta, a group of sharp-tailed grouse gather for the most important event of the year: a song and dance competition.
While most male birds compete against each other to win a mate, the grouse take a different approach. They perform a synchronized dance routine as a team, and the more males, the more impressive their performance.
These sharp-tailed grouse put on a remarkable show. With their heads down and wings outstretched, they stomp and rattle their tail feathers. Flashes of yellow from the combs over their eyes and bright purple from the air sacs on their necks stand out in a sea of brown and white feathers. Their song sounds like a combination of a jackhammer, a clucking chicken and the coos of a dove.
In this clip from Love and Rivals, the second episode of Secret World of Sound, a series from The Nature of Things, male sharp-tailed grouse work together to attract a female to their small patch of grassland.
The sharp-tailed grouse is related to the greater prairie-chicken and the greater sage-grouse. The males of all three of these species perform unusual displays using inflatable sacs, and the latter may be best known for its performance: inflating a pair of yellowish-green sacs on its chest and knocking them together to produce a wet popping sound.
Although the sharp-tailed grouse usually work together, things can get heated when one wants to be front and centre. Only the fittest of the grouse will get to mate, so the males jockey for the best position on this stage with a flurry of kicks and jumps.
Suddenly, a curious female approaches.
The males dance around one another, performing their choreographed movements. In a synchronous climax, they all freeze.
The female grouse steps around the still males, who eagerly await the possibility that their performance has won her over.
One young, overly excited male is ruining the performance for everyone. He's dancing out of step as the others remain frozen. The female soon departs, not impressed with what she has seen.
But for these males, practice makes perfect. They continue to stomp until sundown, for tomorrow is another day.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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