Bird Courtship Display - Page 2

The mating displays of North American songbirds are essential steps on pair formation and can be extremely interesting to watch. A male songbird, such as the Northern Mockingbird. Northern Cardinal, or Black-headed Grosbeak, establishes its nesting territory by singing repeatedly from different perches, announcing its presence to competitors and potential female mates alike, and by vigorously chasing away intruders. In some species the male initially treats the female as an intruder to be chased away. Eventually, the male establishes a peaceful coexistence with neighboring male of its own species.