one of the ultimate expressions of
female choice can be found high above
the forest floor of Papua New Guinea
male rhaggy ana birds of paradise
everything about these ostentatious
birds has been fashioned by countless
generations of difficult to please hens
dawn breaks with their noisy clamor so
the dowdy females can easily locate the
groups of displaying males they visit
one site after another judging each
individual by his performance their
arrival causes a flurry of excitement
at each site one whale occupies a
central position which is more
attractive to the hens it takes seven
years before the male’s mature and
acquire their ravishing plumes
by contrast the hens are ready to make
much sooner and tend to outnumber the
male’s display perches are used year
after year but only the most virile
males hold the best position center
stage in a forest so rich in fruit the
females can rear their chicks alone the
males are merely a colourful sperm bank
such independence means that the hens
can shop around for the most exciting
males
each generation of females chooses just
a few elite males the majority are
doomed never to breed
you
this male is lucky but even now at the
moment of mating he cannot be absolutely
sure that he’ll father the females next
group
you
