LEK CENTER ATTRACTS BLACK GROUSE FEMALES

In several lek mating systems, centrally located males enjoy higher ma ting success than peripheral males. The mechanism behind this pattern, however, has been controversial and a rigorous test of the different alternatives is missing. Here we report that in black grouse Tetrao te trix, a lekking bird species, central males achieved many more copulat ions than males in the periphery. Generally, central territories were smaller than peripheral ones, and males were thus more clumped in the centre. A choice experiment in an aviary provided experimental support for females being attracted to densely clustered males, so that males in larger clusters have higher expected average mating success. Thus this mechanism, which was once the common belief for the lekking syste m but lately has been disregarded, is likely to provide the main expla nation for the evolution of lekking in this species.