Mating strategy

Analysis and Comment (4)

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Bigger male purple-crowned fairy-wrens can sing their ‘trill song’ at a lower pitch than smaller males. Michelle Hall

How deep is your cheep? Why songbirds sing their size

By Michelle Hall, University of Melbourne

The melodious beauty and elaborate complexity of birdsong has long inspired poets, writers, and musicians – as well as behavioural ecologists! But besides appreciating the aesthetics of birdsong, we are…
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For golden orb spiders, it seems size doesn’t matter when it comes to finding a mate. Michael Kasumovic

Incy wincy spider? Don’t fret – you can still get the girl

By Michael Kasumovic

Whether it’s two lions fighting over a pride or two butterflies fighting over a sunny spot, decades of nature shows have led the average watcher to conclude that bigger, stronger males win competitions…
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How do you get the girl? That’s a nom-brainer. Yann Audras

No food, no love: female fish prefer well-nourished males

By Andrew Kahn

“Finish your dinner or there’ll be no dessert for you!” – it’s a cry heard at dinner tables around the world, as mothers battle to convince their sons about the importance of eating properly. Sorry lads…
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A guy walks into a cafe … but what happens next depends on strategy. nathancolquhoun/Flickr

All about the girl: the mating game and how (not) to win it

By Alex Jordan, Osaka City University and Carla Avolio

Long before men asked themselves “What’s the meaning of life?”, they were scratching their heads and wondering “How do I get the girl?” And it’s not just humans who have been consumed with this question…

Research Briefs (2)

Social standing inheritable?

University of Virginia

Studying forked fungus beetles in the US has led researchers to believe that one’s place in a social network could be hereditary…

Participants (15)