Search results for Courtship

Western Grebes rushing across Lake Wohlford, exhibiting a spectacular courtship behavior in which the aquatic birds literally run across the surface of the water while their feet hit the water up to 20 times per second.
Species: Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 41538  

Western Grebes rushing across Lake Wohlford, exhibiting a spectacular courtship behavior in which the aquatic birds literally run across the surface of the water while their feet hit the water up to 20 times per second.
Species: Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 41541  

Two Western Grebes Rushing on Lake Wohlford near San Diego. Grebe rushing, a courtship behavior, happens when the birds slap the lake surface up to 20 times per second, literally running across the water.
Species: Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 41562  

Clark's Grebes Rushing on Lake Hodges, San Diego.
Species: Clarks grebe, Aechmophorus clarkii
Location: Lake Hodges, San Diego, California
Image ID: 36830  

Double-crested cormorant nuptial crests, tufts of feathers on each side of the head, plumage associated with courtship and mating.
Species: Double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36848  

Western Grebes rushing in a courtship display. Rushing grebes run across the water 60 feet (20m) or further with their feet hitting the water as rapidly as 20 times per second. Lake Hodges, San Diego.
Species: Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Image ID: 36887  

Western Grebes rushing in a courtship display. Rushing grebes run across the water 60 feet (20m) or further with their feet hitting the water as rapidly as 20 times per second.
Species: Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Hodges, San Diego, California
Image ID: 37854  

Western gulls, courtship behaviour.
Species: Western gull, Larus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 18397  

Gray whales, two males both with extended penis during courtship socialization, Laguna San Ignacio.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 06431  

Western Grebes rushing in a courtship display. Rushing grebes run across the water 60 feet (20m) or further with their feet hitting the water as rapidly as 20 times per second. Lake Hodges, San Diego.
Species: Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Image ID: 36888  

Western Grebes rushing in a courtship display. Rushing grebes run across the water 60 feet (20m) or further with their feet hitting the water as rapidly as 20 times per second. Lake Hodges, San Diego.
Species: Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Image ID: 36889  

Male Brandt's Cormorant Skypointing, Courtship Display, Breeding Plumage with blue throat and a few white pin-feathers, La Jolla. Skypointing is an interesting courtship behavior that many birds practice. Among Brandt's Cormorants the male performs this, likely as a way of attracting a mate to the nest he has built by showing off his striking blue throat. He tips his head backward showing off his striking blue throat, and partially raises his wings. Seen here on seacliffs above the ocean.
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40133  

Clark's Grebes Ratchet Pointing, a courtship behavior in which the grebes assume a low facing position in the water, point beaks at one another and emit a ratchet-like sound. Coupled with dip-shaking, several rounds of ratchet pointing is often an immediate precursor to rushing.
Species: Clark's Grebe, Aechmophorus clarkii
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 40891  

Western Grebes Ratchet Pointing, a courtship behavior in which the grebes assume a low facing position in the water, point beaks at one another and emit a ratchet-like sound. Coupled with dip-shaking, several rounds of ratchet pointing is often an immediate precursor to rushing.
Species: Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 40893  

Two Rushing Western Grebes Walk on Water. Grebe rushing, a courtship behavior, happens when the birds slap the lake surface up to 20 times per second, literally running across the water.
Species: Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 40912  

Western Grebes Rushing on Lake Hodges, amidst a mix of Western Grebes and Clarks Grebes.
Species: Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Hodges, San Diego, California
Image ID: 36790  

Western Grebe rushing on Lake Wohlford, running across the water by slapping its feet rapidly, part of the grebe's elaborate courtship.
Species: Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 41706  

Two giant black sea bass swim in a courtship circle, part of a larger gathering of a mating aggregation amid kelp forest, Catalina Island. In summer months, black seabass gather in kelp forests in California to form mating aggregations. Courtship behaviors include circling of pairs of giant sea bass, production of booming sounds by presumed males, and nudging of females by males in what is though to be an effort to encourage spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33357  

Giant black sea bass, gathering in a mating - courtship aggregation amid kelp forest, Catalina Island.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33359  

Two Giant black sea bass hover in the kelp forest as a courting pair, part of a larger mating aggregation at Catalina Island. In summer months, giant black seabass gather in kelp forests in California to form mating aggregations leading to spawning. Courtship behaviors include circling of pairs of giant sea bass, production of booming sounds by presumed males, and nudging of females by males in what is though to be an effort to encourage spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33360  

Five giant black sea bass in a mating and courtship aggregation in the kelp forest at Catalina Island. In summer months, black seabass gather in kelp forests in California to form mating aggregations leading to spawning. Courtship behaviors include circling of pairs of giant sea bass, production of booming sounds by presumed males, and nudging of females by males in what is though to be an effort to encourage spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33361  

Two Giant sea bass comprise a courting pair as part of a larger mating aggregation amid the kelp forest at Catalina Island. In summer months, giant seabass gather in kelp forests in California to form mating aggregations leading to spawning. Courtship behaviors include circling of pairs of giant sea bass, production of booming sounds by presumed males, and nudging of females by males in what is though to be an effort to encourage spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33362  

A male giant sea bass nudges a female giant sea bass to encourage spawning as they swim in a tight circle. This courting pair of giant sea bass is deep in the kelp forest at Catalina Island. In summer months, giant sea bass gather in kelp forests in California to form courtship and mating aggregations, eventually leading to spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33364  

Giant black sea bass, gathering in a mating - courtship aggregation amid kelp forest, Catalina Island.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33379  

Adult male humpback whale singing, suspended motionless underwater. Only male humpbacks have been observed singing. All humpbacks in the North Pacific sing the same whale song each year, and the song changes slightly from one year to the next.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02794  

Adult male humpback whale bubble streaming underwater. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims behind a mother and calf. The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other nearby male whales interested in the mother.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 05928  

Mother and calf southern right whales are seen here as part of a larger courtship group, with adult males interested in mating with the mother. The calf has no choice but to stay by her mother's side during the courting activities.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38380  

Mating pair of Southern Right Whales, aerial photo. In this photo, the male is grasping the female with one of his pectoral fins as a prelude to copulation. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41196  

Mating pair of Southern Right Whales, aerial photo. In this photo, the male is grasping the female with one of his pectoral fins as a prelude to copulation. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41197  

Courting Pair of Southern Right Whales, Aerial Photo. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41213