HOW TO DISPLAY IN DENSE WOODLAND - VARIABILITY OF DISPLAY IN THE SIBERIAN SPRUCE GROUSE (FALCIPENNIS-FALCIPENNIS)

Abstract

Territorial behaviour of the rare endemic Siberian Spruce Grouse was intensely observed and analyzed by means of modern technology for the first time ever. The most striking display element is the flutter jump. Moreover cocks showed various types of other displays. Flutter jumps are visually and acoustically conspicuous at high distances even in dense forests. Despite their complex structure jumps are very much stereotyped. The different types of tail-fanning, however, are rather inconspicuous and serve their purposes at short distances. Most displays are stereotyped in duration, but not in sequence.