Volume 20, 1970 - The Arctic Circle - Home

L5ci.ist,ur;bar'rce, and s;he soorr adopt,s a subnrissive patlern of' beharriour.Tn r,.riiv sla,rles oi' pair t;ondinr'fhe r,tale f'olioi.,s the female corrtj-nuouslyarrd rnrill rrot ieave her una.f terrcled. The 'pair bond is secure when f hefe;'ia.le cirooscis fo 5iiie rrLfhcr t.iian Lo f'Iy vrhen tiie rirale qives analanlr ca1-1, c;r t:e: l-c:avers her to J'ly after a trespassing male.'ihc flirht sorrq display (.i'Tur" I) is the nrosl spe.:ctaculardispl;".;r of fhe nl-r.Ie', anC t,he orie-r rjlosl ofLen seen bry lravellers inf,hr: Arcfic. 'rlie movct:tents are coupl.ed wi th loud, far-carryring,croakins vocalizaLjons to eff cct,ively a,dvert,ise &,rrd nrark ttre posiLion;rnd t,e:rri.tory ot' t,lie nalc,. the ciisplarr is d.n ela.t,orate developrnentot'tlir: Cn:nuiinc'r-rrti. j'lr:tler fljrilrfs seen in ot,her nieuit--,ers of theq,ro\tse fl'm:i 1.,rr aliC Like t.hcm if is a rrisua.l siqnal involrrinq partsof fLe t,oci.lf whjcl' are hi.ohly confra,st,ing. in colorrr'. As in ali ofLerof its ttisnl:rys tire i,Iack fai l is v€rry conspicuolls aqainst the s$.end sncwr illrrl the ',vhite trody plurrnge is verT/ appa.rent agailrst thebet"e ground. 'lhe: lieight attained in fhe flight song display is directlyrelal.ecl to i,he malerr; agfiressivc feelinqs and fhe strenqth of hisaLt,'rchrrent to his territ,or;r" T'he i'irst fliqht sonf{ di-splays may be1ess tha.n ten fee',, in elevation, but, at, ti,e peak of reproCuctivel.ct-'rv:.t,y a.rr.1[{rr:ssive rria.le ma"y'sjoi,r.r to fwo hundred feet or moreati-l si-:'iq t,hr:ee or four fj:tres as |re descernds.l"iales v;ilh a.djacent ferril,ort,,:s sperrci nruch effort intiirt::rL; &ilti 'in acivertisi-nq ri j-sirlal,rs. Actual fighting occurs in theait" a.fl;e-:r'erratic cii:rses, and orr fl,e, qrcund where conrbatants attacke,:cll ofner rrigorcr-r-sly tearing ou1, feathers ;ind sometirnes draw-ingblooci. llit,u.a,l J'rqi.Lins occurs ntorr.) j recluently, and the acijacenttrralcl; i';,t.;eL at, speci:ic spot,s :rir:ng tl c ot,|rerw"ise vag.ue territorial'rrounri it rJr t,o en s.a.qe .i n. .q flf Ir€ s sivc encotint e rEi .Iii sh j.rit,ensilif Lhreaf paf Lerns include the rai.sing oftile crovj'rl fea*rher's to cx-Dose tlrcrr,qray k;ases and fo increase theaDpart:rii tlark arca. arorinll t,he €Jres and r.,ill. Some f respassing rnaleswheri tlut'sur:rl b;q teffifor,y hr:ltie:rs wi-l-I effecfively block a violenLat.Lack b.,r ii.ssjlmlirrq lire si-tkrlissivel seX-solicifing posture of a fenralen.nri 1-,ilus escape unsca'Lired. Llourtstril-r pa'bt,r,:rns appeai' and deverop,iuri.nq Liit: pi'ocessi of' p:ri r bonriinr'' asj fhe ferialt: begins to reI"r; uponblrr: l,rlt.cht'trl- ln.Lurr.r of lire rrrale . li-i s vivici scarlet, cornbs areconsp.icuorrr;iv tli siri:lyr:d jn an c:iairorat,e he:ail tlobbing movemettt, wlticliItrcsertt,s t,lrt'rii :iitlr.jrrr;t, i 'ri rnrlril,e' h'oiiV a,nct ttlnck t,ail v,iriclt isi'rr:qlrcriLlv r;[)1',,'ird lnil r:lr'vll,ecl . l{e1'L-r{'J's ou1, his trccly plumaee ancl,1,i)r)(':Lrli tnu.r:fr llrrper lrrd nlot'c corrspi cuou:i. '1'he,: {'r:iira-l-r', (in the othe ''fr;r.tttl li(::Ct)lllefi Ic:;:; Cottl;pi.CUOtLS i:t:i lie,f i)1'Ol^/II plUtlirrRc tieVclOpS :rndma.l,ckrcs tiir' 1r'r'egrila.i' pat,terris o1' nie;lt,j-nq snow patclies.As t,l c fernale l.r€corrrcs mc)re submissive t,ov;a.rds Lhe nra.le, lle1l)l)roaches her nrore closely and st,lemJrt,s Lo direcf her nrovetnentstor,"'ar.c1s t,he sLia.liol,, rlepressiols in r^'hich copulii.fion frrpically Lakesplace. persjsl,ent nrales crouch in display indepressions in front