Female choice in lekking Black Grouse

【摘要】：正 Competition between males in achieving copulation is particularly pronounced in the lek mating system. We followed the behaviour and mating success of individually-marked Black Grouse males through their lifetime to determine how they allocate mating effort over the years. They express a multitude of traits that females potentially use in making a choice. Ornamental plumage plays only a minor role, duller plumage in yearling males notwithstanding; nor were most behavioural traits found to be particularly predictive. Rather, male