New research describes a surprising courtship signal used by scissor-tailed nightjars in northern Argentina. The study appears in the Journal of Avian Biology and was led by Christopher Clark of UC Riverside with Juan Ignacio Areta of CONICET.
Males perform a dramatic display with long forked tails. Researchers used high-speed infrared cameras in the hours before dawn, often near the full moon, to record males striking the wrist joints of their wings together.
Footage showed the snapping noise is not vocal; the birds physically collide wing bones to make a clap-like sound. The team examined museum specimens but found no obvious wrist adaptations. Scientists have seen similar non-vocal displays in a few other birds.
Difficult words
- courtship — behaviour animals use to attract mates
- display — a visible action to attract attention
- forked — split into two long parts at end
- infrared — light we cannot see, used for cameras
- wrist — joint between hand and lower arm
- specimen — an example animal or object for studyspecimens
- snap — make a short sharp cracking soundsnapping
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the birds perform the snapping display before dawn?
- Have you ever seen a bird display in nature? Describe it briefly.
- Would you like to watch animals with infrared cameras? Why or why not?
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