Mating Dances

During April I watched various sparring displays between males of the same species. It was fascinating to see them engage in singing competitions and joust with each other for territory and the right to mate. Many male songbirds are not able to mate—there is only so much turf available, and the stronger and more capable guys get their pick. The losers remain single for the season, so the competition can be fierce.

By May the mating season gets into full swing. Our birds will pair off, remain monogamous for the summer (or even longer), and raise as many as three broods. Some species—such as the cardinals—remain mated for life. Each species has a preferred nesting site and nest type; building anywhere from flimsy cups to sturdy structures—in cavities, bushes, under eaves, and even on the ground. From two to half a dozen eggs get laid, incubated in only a couple of weeks, and the nestlings get prodded to leave at 2-3 weeks of age. That next brood must get started!

I love to watch the mating behavior, as the birds pair off and begin to set up house. Early in the process it can be difficult to tell if two squabbling birds are competing males or two opposite-sex birds in the first stages of wooing. Some males will initially act quite aggressively towards a potential mate—chasing her off at first. It’s as if he’s checking out how serious she may be about him. If he shoos her away and she quickly returns, maybe she’s really attracted to him and now it’s time to woo her. He will then become increasingly attentive towards her—following her around, deferring to her choice of nesting site, and even feeding her.

I’ve watched the male cardinal tenderly feed his mate several times. The pair often comes to the feeder at dusk to get a snack, before retiring for the night. Usually they come and go individually, but not after their mating dance gets into full swing. Lately I’ve watched her fly to a tree branch above the feeder and chip repeatedly at him, as he sits at the feeder, chowing down on seeds. Eventually he will fly up to her and place his sunflower-stuffed beak into hers, gifting her tenderly with the hulled nuts. They then fly off into the night together, the light fading as in a Hollywood movie.

I’ve wondered about all this solicitous activity on the part of the males. Are they really that much in love, like a swooning human teenager? Birds are not very affectionate. I suspect a couple of other motives might be responsible. First, he may just be trying to be sure that she stays faithful, so the coming babies are really his. (Males of all species often go to great lengths to ensure their own genes are in the kids they take care of—not some stranger’s.) But he may also be buttering her up, for in most cases it’s the female who does the majority of the work in raising the kids. (Sound familiar?) She will likely choose the nest site, build the nest, incubate the eggs, and do at least half of the feeding—while the male perches nearby and sings. His conscience will be less burdened while he croons, if he previously had treated her like the queen that she is.