Two Giant Black Sea Bass in a Courtship Posture, in Kelp at Catalina Island. In summer months, black seabass gather in kelp forests in California and form courtship and mating aggregations.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 39444
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: 02813
Humpback whale male escort emits a stream of bubbles during competitive group socializing. The whale is swimming so fast that the bubbles pass back alongside the whale.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02855
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 (barely seen in the distance).
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04434
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 female during competitive group activities. The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other nearby male whales interested in the female.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04444
Male North Pacific humpback whale streams a trail of bubbles. The primary male escort whale (center) creates a curtain of bubbles underwater as it swims behind a female (right), with other challenging males trailing behind in a competitive group. The bubbles may be a form of intimidation from the primary escort towards the challenging escorts.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 05968
Adult male north Pacific humpback whale bubble streaming underwater in the midst of a competitive group. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims closely behind a female, . The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other nearby males interested in the female.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 05999
Adult male north Pacific humpback whale bubble streaming underwater in the midst of a competitive group. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims closely behind a female, . The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other nearby males interested in the female.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 06037
Courting group of southern right whales, aerial photo. Mating may occur as a result of this courting and social behavior. The white whale seen here is a serious player named El Copulador (the copulator) and is often seen in mating and courting groups of southern right whales at Peninsula Valdes. His light coloration is an indication that he was a white calf, but he did not darken as he aged in the way most white southern right whale calves do.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38358
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: 38379
Male Brandt's Cormorant courtship display with head pointing skyward and wings partially spread. Note the blue throat, a type of breeding plumage. Only males skypoint.
Species: Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40138
Male Brandt's Cormorant Skypointing, Courtship Display, Breeding Plumage with blue throat and 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, where the fading light of late afternoon just illuminates his head and wings.
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40142
Western Grebes rushing in a courtship display. Rushiing 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: 36890