Throughout the last couple of years I have been
reading and learning about the various courtship rituals of other species. A
lot of the stories that I have shared to date through the Alphabeasts series
were themed in love or loss and they gave me a moment to really study the depth
of these rituals that are truly impressive. I have worked these rituals into
the narratives of some of my stories and this week, I would like to share a few
that really are beautiful, touching and inspiring…
The first is from the Japanese Puffer Fish that works
tirelessly to create an underwater chef-d'oeuvre on the ocean floor. His little
fins brushing away the sand and fighting the currents to attract a female with
the creation of his vision in the sand is beyond what you may imagine…
And from the seafloor to the seashore is a lifetime love
story of feathers that truly soars… There are many bird species that are
monogamous and have some special mating rituals like the duet of the Great
Hornbill, the cuddling of Lovebirds or the intricate dance of the Manakin.
However, one of my favourites are the Albatross as theirs is the most intense love affair even though they will spend months
apart… Their courtship ritual of clapping beaks, mirrored dance and cheerfully
boisterous squawks make it hard not to smile. If you need a little sprinkling
of happiness to your day the exuberance of their squawks alone are sure to lift
your spirits! The Albatross mate for life (a 50 year commitment) like many
other birds. Interestingly, the courtship rituals of the albatross more resemble
our own through a dating process of elimination as the strike partners from
their dance cards from one year to the next. They will engage in preening,
staring, dancing and vocalising that they learned from watching their elders
until they are left with the one true mate with whom they will spend the rest
of their lives.
And lastly, is the Maratus volans or Peacock spider,
is it is aptly named for the colourful display like the tail feathers of the
bird. Maratus volans (cue 3:30 for the full display) is an Australian species that has a dance
routine similar to the Manakin. However, if the male spider fails to interest
his female she’ll have him for diner!
