Thema: Social Behavior

Breeding Behavior

Sometimes social behavior is exhibited by groups of males or females during the breeding season. In some cases, males may band together and try to chase the dominant male away so they have a better chance of mating success. In other instances, males are known to cooperate in making their courtship displays. Turkeys often perform their courtship display in pairs, even though only one of the turkeys ends up doing most of the mating. Why would the unsuccessful male agree to help? The two male turkeys are usually brothers. Since brothers share about 50 percent of the same genes, even if only one brother mates, many of the genes of the unsuccessful brother are passed on too.

In some species, the females form social groups during the breeding season. In certain circumstances, females will look after one another's offspring while the other mother goes out to find food. In other species, such as lemurs, females may form social groups as a kind of defense. Males of some lemur species will try to kill the offspring of females that mated with another male. By banding together, the females are sometimes able to ward off the attacking male.

The male bower bird, of the Australian rainforest, has long interested scientists with its unusual courting behavior. The bower constructs a sort of bachelor pad on the forest floor, a complex structure of twigs, leaves, and moss. Further decorating it with berries and shells and feathers, scientists believe that it is specifically designed to attract mates.