Birds court one another with dances, songs and building nests!

From dancing to eating to nest building to singing, birds have many courtship rituals. And springtime is the most likely time for you spot some of these unique behaviors right in your own backyard!

If you have woodpeckers in your yard, you probably already know one way these birds go after a partner – by rat-tat-tatting on your house or gutter downspouts. They can make quite a racket – the louder the better! Other birds use sound to attract their mates but do so with a song or repertoire of songs. The same rule applies – more is better! A male with a larger repertoire of songs may be considered more attractive than one with only a few songs.

Seabirds and waterfowl bob their heads, bow and flutter their wings to attract their mates. Cranes are well known for their fantastic dancing as they begin their courtship. Mourning Doves and mockingbirds also will fluff out their feathers and dance a little mating two-step. Jays and cardinals will offer their female partner a sunflower seed as a gift of affection.

House Wrens are known to build nests for their mates. They show the females the nests and let her choose. Then the male finds another female to occupy one of the remaining nests!

Peek out the window and let us know what signs of love you spot!