• picture
  • picture
  • picture
  • picture
Public Radio's Environmental News Magazine (follow us on Google News)

Field Note: A Great Egret's Mating Dance

Published: March 1, 2019


By Mark Seth Lender


A Great Egret in breeding plumage. (Photo: Mark Seth Lender)

Living on Earth's Explorer in Residence Mark Seth Lender remarks on the scene that inspired his essay about a Great Egret's mating dance.

This was not a singular event in the idiosyncratic mating display of one particular great egret. There were a number of males in breeding plumage and this set of behaviors was common to almost all of them. The glances were furtive, sent in different directions, and always at the conclusion of the display. As far as I could tell, at least on the several days I was there to see it, the boys were going to be dancing alone. No one was paying attention.

These lonely egrets, late to the party, were probably the younger ones. Perhaps in the next year of their maturity Nature will be more kind.

Hear Mark Seth Lender read this essay

Back to Mark Seth Lender Field Notes


 

Living on Earth wants to hear from you!

Living on Earth
62 Calef Highway, Suite 212
Lee, NH 03861
Telephone: 617-287-4121
E-mail: comments@loe.org

Newsletter [Click here]

Donate to Living on Earth!
Living on Earth is an independent media program and relies entirely on contributions from listeners and institutions supporting public service. Please donate now to preserve an independent environmental voice.

Newsletter
Living on Earth offers a weekly delivery of the show's rundown to your mailbox. Sign up for our newsletter today!

Sailors For The Sea: Be the change you want to sea.

The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment: Committed to protecting and improving the health of the global environment.

Contribute to Living on Earth and receive, as our gift to you, an archival print of one of Mark Seth Lender's extraordinary wildlife photographs. Follow the link to see Mark's current collection of photographs.

Buy a signed copy of Mark Seth Lender's book Smeagull the Seagull & support Living on Earth