Lekking is a mating strategy observed across the animal kingdom, where males gather in specific locations to perform elaborate displays for potential female mates. This courtship behavior highlights the competitive nature of reproduction, as males actively showcase their physical attributes and vocalizations to attract attention. Females carefully assess the performers.
Understanding Lekking Behavior
Lekking involves males congregating in a communal display ground, known as a “lek,” to engage in competitive courtship rituals. Within this arena, each male defends a small, individual territory, which may be within visual and auditory range of his neighbors, as seen in classical leks. Other leks, called exploded leks, feature males more dispersed but still within earshot, like the booming calls of the kākāpō. Males perform various behaviors, including intricate dances, vibrant visual displays of plumage or coloration, loud vocalizations, and even physical contests to establish dominance and attract females. Females visit these leks to observe the displays and choose a mate, often without receiving any direct resources or parental care from the male.
Females carefully assess the males’ stamina, consistency, and the quality of their display territory. The males at the lek invest significant energy and resources into these displays, and while many participate, often only a few dominant males achieve the majority of matings. This creates intense competition, with males vying for prime display spots and attempting to outshine their rivals. The collective display of males in one area increases their visibility, making it easier for females to locate them and compare potential partners efficiently.
The Purpose of Lekking
Lekking serves several evolutionary purposes for both males and females, primarily driven by sexual selection. For males, aggregating in a lek increases their visibility to females, maximizing their chances of being noticed and evaluated. The intense competition within the lek allows males to honestly signal their fitness, as only the most robust and genetically superior individuals can sustain elaborate and prolonged displays.
Females also benefit significantly from the lekking system. By visiting a lek, females can efficiently assess and compare multiple potential mates in a single location, reducing the time and energy they would otherwise spend searching for individual males. This concentrated display environment facilitates direct comparison, allowing females to select the fittest male based on the quality of his display, which is believed to signal “good genes” for their offspring. In many lekking species, males do not provide parental care or resources, so female choice is focused solely on genetic quality.
Animals That Exhibit Lekking
Lekking behavior is present across diverse animal groups, showcasing varied and intricate courtship rituals. Among birds, the greater sage-grouse of North America is a classic example; males inflate large chest sacs and produce popping sounds while fanning their tail feathers to attract females in open terrain. Manakin birds, found in Central and South America, perform unique “moonwalks” on branches and create electric-sounding wing snaps. Other avian examples include birds-of-paradise, known for their flamboyant plumage and elaborate dances, and black grouse, whose males engage in bubbling coos and aggressive displays.
Lekking is not exclusive to birds; it also occurs in various mammals and insects. Uganda kob, a type of antelope, exhibit lekking where males defend small grassy plots and grunt to attract females. Fallow deer are another mammalian species that engage in lekking, where males establish and defend small territories within a communal breeding ground. In the insect world, fruit flies gather on sunlit leaves to buzz and dance, while some moths and beetles also display this behavior. Even certain fish species, like some African cichlids, display lek-like mating systems involving male territoriality and coloration displays.