Leks are communal courtship and mating areas where male birds of certain species gather to engage in competitive displays to attract females. Some of the bird species that are known to use leks for breeding include:
Greater Sage-Grouse
The greater sage-grouse is a large North American grouse species found in sagebrush habitats. Males congregate on traditional lek sites in early spring and perform elaborate strutting displays with their tail fans erect and their chests puffed out. They make popping sounds as they strut back and forth trying to attract females. After mating, the females leave the lek to nest and raise the chicks on their own.
Lesser Prairie Chicken
The lesser prairie chicken is a medium-sized grouse of the southern Great Plains. Males gather on leks in open areas and make bubbling vocalizations as they strut and stamp their feet. They display specialized neck air sacs and tufts of neck feathers during their courtship rituals. Females visit the leks briefly to select a male to mate with before leaving to nest.
Sharp-Tailed Grouse
Found in open grasslands and prairies, male sharp-tailed grouse conduct elaborate displays on leks each spring. During communal dances, they stamp their feet, fan their tails, inflate purple air sacs on their necks, and make cooing sounds. Interested females, drawn by the displays, briefly visit the leks to mate before going off on their own.
Greater and Lesser Prairie Chickens
Male greater and lesser prairie chickens are lek-breeding grouse of the prairies and grasslands. They perform ritualized displays during the breeding season that involve inflating air sacs, spreading specialized feathers, and making booming, cackling, or whooping vocalizations. Females arrive at the lek briefly to select a male and copulate before leaving to nest and raise young alone.
Ruff
The ruff is a medium-sized shorebird that breeds across northern Eurasia. Male ruffs gather in groups called leks on open wetlands during breeding season. There are different types of male ruffs, including territorial males that defend individual courting lawns, satellite males that try to intercept females, and female-mimicking “faeder” males. The females visit briefly to mate and then leave the lek.
Buff-Breasted Sandpiper
An Arctic-nesting shorebird, the buff-breasted sandpiper performs aerial displays over leks as part of its courtship ritual. Males fly high in the sky and then parachute down with wings held upward while calling loudly. Females survey the displays and select a male to mate with before leaving the lek to lay and incubate the eggs alone.
Lekking Manakins
Tropical manakins such as the golden-headed manakin are lek breeding birds of Central and South America. At communal display arenas, elaborate male courtship displays may involve specialized feathers, acrobatic dances, or even using props like fruits. Females briefly visit the leks to mate before leaving to build the nest and raise young on their own.
Black Grouse
Male black grouse are lek breeders across northern Eurasia. Males perform displays involving tail-fanning, strutting, and popping sounds to attract females to their mating arena. Some males occupy prominent spots on the lek while others stay on the fringes. Females briefly visit the lek to mate before heading off to nest and rear chicks alone.
Capercaillie
The largest member of the grouse family, male capercaillies gather at lekking arenas in northern forests. Their displays incorporate tail-fanning, foot-stamping, and gurgling vocalizations. Dominant males occupy central areas on the lek. Females survey the males before departing to nest solitarily after mating has taken place.
Blue-Crowned Manakin
This small rainforest manakin of Mexico and Central America is another lekking species. At communal arenas, males perform elaborate visual and acrobatic displays, using specialized feathers on their heads and wings. Interested females briefly visit the leks to select a male to mate with before leaving to build the nest and raise young alone.
Jackson’s Widowbird
Jackson’s widowbirds in Africa have a polygynous mating system with males gathering at communal leks to display and attract mates. Male displays involve hopping between perches and fanning their long tail feathers. Dominant males occupy central territories on the lek. Females make brief visits to the leks to choose a male and mate.
Long-Tailed Widowbird
Another African widowbird species, male long-tailed widowbirds have extremely long tail feathers they use in visual displays at leks. Males occupy and defend individual display territories within the lek arena. Females survey the males and their tails before departing from the lek after mating has occurred.
Buff-Tailed Sicklebill
This hummingbird of South America gathers in leks high in the forest canopy. Males defend display territories and perform elaborate aerial dances to attract females. Their curved bills and lobed tail feathers play a role in the visual displays. Females visit briefly to mate before leaving to build a nest and raise young alone.
Wire-Tailed Manakin
Found in cloud forests of South and Central America, male wire-tailed manakins perform cooperative courtship displays on leks using specialized tail feathers. Several males work together to put on visual displays for visiting females, who briefly stop by the leks to choose a mate before leaving to nest alone.
Club-Winged Manakin
Another species that engages in cooperative courtship displays at leks is the club-winged manakin of South America. Groups of males work together to make mechanical “hammering” sounds with their wings to attract females to their display arena. Females briefly visit the leks to mate before leaving.
African Lek-Breeding Birds
In addition to widowbirds, other African bird species known to gather at leks for breeding include cormorants, bee-eaters, whydahs, indigobirds, and paradise whydahs. Males defend individual territories or perches on the lek arena for displaying and mating. Females arrive briefly to choose a mate before leaving.
Conclusion
Lek breeding, in which males congregate to display and compete for the attention of females, occurs in a diverse array of bird species around the world. Some of the major groups of birds that use lek mating systems include grouse, prairie-chickens, manakins, widowbirds, whydahs, sandpipers, hummingbirds, bee-eaters, and cormorants. While lek behaviors and rituals vary between species, a defining feature is that females only briefly visit the male display grounds to mate before leaving to nest and rear young alone.
