Birds do it, bees do it ...: in springtime love is in the air, and amazing avian rituals of courtship are the preludes for creating the next generation

摘要

Springtime is the season for love. Bird songs fill the air and the birds are doing crazy things. Male hummingbirds zoom high, then swoop low in grand arcs. A mocking-bird jumps a few feet into the air, then slowly flutters back to its perch, splayingits white wing patches and outer tail feathers in a grand display. A pair of Cedar Waxwings passes a berry back and forth, acting like it's no good, until one of them finally swallows it. And a male American Goldfinch flies around in a big Circle, doingloop-de-loops like a roller coaster. Spring is the time for courtship, pairing, and raising a family. We can learn a lot just by taking a closer look at courting rituals of four common species found in our own-backyards -- Ruby-throated Hummingbird, American Goldfinch, Northern Mocking- bird, and Cedar Waxwing.