Rare birds shake their tail feathers in dramatic mating dance on MOD firing range

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has created an ideal ‘dancefloor’ for a flamboyant mating display by the endangered black grouse.
The birds are taking to the firing range at Garelochhead Training Centre in Scotland, where the short grassland offers an ideal location for the males to get their groove on with a unique mating dance called a ‘lek’.
From dawn, the 'rookooing' sound of the iconic Scottish birds’ mating calls can be heard echoing through Garelochhead Training Centre and the surrounding uplands as the black grouse descend on the firing range. With their distinctive red eyebrows and white under-tail feathers, the birds are a special sight for local birdwatchers and military personnel alike. The males come on to the short grass areas at dawn and dusk to shake their tail feathers - as well as engaging in the occasional spirited scuffle with rivals - in the mating dance. The display is intended to attract females watching from the longer grass nearby.
The firing range, which sees personnel taking aim at targets from various distances, is a carefully mown area of grass maintained by DIO’s industry partner Landmarc Support Services (Landmarc). It not only provides an ideal environment for live fire training, but has also proved an attractive habitat to black grouse at Garelochhead. As one of the fastest declining birds in the UK, their adoption of the firing range is a positive step for black grouse conservation in the region.

[@maxford1808]

All I’m getting is ‘Ukraine is losing’!

[@livingcoffee_edits]

not sure where you got that

[@allo-other]

@@livingcoffee_edits He got it in Trolldom.