Elk are the second largest animals in the deer family. Fully grown male elk, or bulls, average about five feet tall at the shoulders and can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds. Their antlers can reach five ...

Courting is as unique to a species as dietary habits or dwelling. Some mating rituals seem almost aggressive, while others are dance-like and graceful. They can even be beautifully intimate, mimicking ...

Many animals engage in elaborate mating rituals. For flight-ready birds, these often involve complex dance moves and peacock-like displays of grandeur. For their land-bound cousins, like the Adélie ...

Researchers have identified how the architecture of brain circuits helps different species flexibly adapt to new mating signals across evolutionary timeframes. Male fruit flies have several tricks for ...

There are some strange mating rituals in the wild. Birds court through dance and song, and some males fight for females’ attention, but what about the head bobbing of crested iguanas? Although the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. These three bird courtship displays are so bold, precise ...