Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 15, 1994 TAG: 9405170028
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Steve Kark
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That person apparently hadn't spent much time in the woods. Indeed, the facts of life as they are practiced by many woodland creatures have a lot more in common with the goings-on at the Playboy mansion than they do with the sort of virtuous behavior one might hold up as an example to innocent youth.
Think about it. They don't call it "wildlife" for nothing. Follow nature's lead and your life is likely to wind up on one of those afternoon talk shows hosted by the likes of Geraldo or Oprah.
Simply put, it's the spring breeding season. And some of the critters out this way, take the birds for instance, are ready to party.
Many are easier to spot because their feathers are more brightly colored now than at any other time of year. In this fancy plumage, some of the males strut in true playboy style.
Even a Hollywood golden boy, dressed to the nines, would have a hard time upstaging the flashier dressers of the season. For instance, male scarlet tanagers, returning after wintering in South America, show up with brilliant red-feathered bodies and black wings. Likewise, with their eye-catching yellow plumage, male goldfinches would blend in nicely at either poolside or clubhouse.
Over at the nectar bar, male ruby-throated hummingbirds engage in fancy courtship dances. They swing in a pendulum-like motion before the females, flashing their bright- red chest spots like medallions at a woodland disco.
I pity the tardy hummingbird who hasn't established his territory by the time the dancing starts. Though they're the smallest birds on the hillside, two male hummers engaged in a dispute over the next dance are a sight to behold. They look something like a cross between slam-dancers and miniature fighter jets.
Other birds have different techniques for attracting the attentions of females. One of my favorites is the ruffed grouse. He climbs atop a log, stretches out his wings and beats them against it, producing the low drumming sound commonly heard in the woods this time of year.
And he's also just as fond of dancing as his more colorful neighbors. Approaching a female, he'll puff out his chest and dance a high-stepping fandango to attract her attention.
Driving up our driveway one afternoon, I was lucky enough to witness this little courtship ritual when one of these birds stepped out in front of me. Undaunted by the size of my truck, he puffed out his feathers and strutted his stuff until I coaxed him out of the driveway.
Moreover, my guidebook identifies both the ruffed grouse and the ruby-throated hummingbirds as promiscuous. Unlike most other birds, which form a pair-bond during breeding season, the females of both these species will mate with the first male who comes along.
Other birds are polygamous. House wren males, for instance, typically mate with a harem of females that nest in each male's territory.
Don't say I didn't warn you. Out here in the hollow at this time of year, it's an adults-only scene. Parental discretion advised.
by CNB