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Here are 5 interesting facts about birds from Matt Ridley's new book
Updated On: 14 May, 2025 09:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Varma
Here are a few quirky facts that we loved learning about from Matt Ridley’s new book Birds, Sex and Beauty (HarperCollins)
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Black grouse male
Black grouse and the lek
When it is mating season for the black grouse males, they gather in a flock at fixed spots between March and June and wait for the first light. This phenomenon is called a lek. At the break of dawn, the males dance and sing for hours, preparing for the females to arrive. When the females do, frequently from their neighbouring flocks, they leap into the air with what Ridley calls a ‘flutter-jump’. This is accompanied by a call that sounds like a “Tshu-wee”; it’s between a sneeze, a hiss, a squawk, and a screech. In the dark, these black grouse males are identifiable through their white bottoms, which resemble chrysanthemums.
Riddle of the ruffs
Ruff. Pics Courtesy/Youtube
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