Facebook for birds

I came across this really interesting article on the BBC website, whereby males of a bird species called long-tailed manakins collaborate to make a particular mating spot "hot" to the female birds. One bird graciously bows out to the alpha bird but with the condition that they "inherit the mating site and become the alpha himself".

The article mentions the "Granita pact" also known as the Blair-Brown deal. Apparently, the birds in Costa Rica also have similar agreements.

It was quite funny when the way Dr McDonald of Wyoming University, describes the way Alpha males are selected. He calls it "Facebook for birds".

Read the article "Dance duet helps male birds mate".