A lek is a group of male animals, most commonly birds or insects, that gathers as part of a breeding strategy. The males perform displays in an arena-like setting in order to lure observing females into mating.

Lekking in most bird species is like a big mating party where males perform dances, sing songs, and display strange body art to entice females. Females gather around the lek to watch the performances, comparing the potential partners and then eventually accepting the invitation of a male bird to mate. But then the party is over -- males are completely uninvolved in nesting activities like incubation and brooding.

Although this type of mate selection might seem to indicate a lack of partner fidelity, in many bird species females only come to lekking sites when their (previous) male partner is present.

Some bird species that display lekking behavior include the Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Black Grouse, Sage Grouse, Capercaillie, Kori Bustard, Sharp-tailed Grouse, birds-of-paradise, the Kakapo, and the Greater Prairie-Chicken and Lesser Prairie-Chicken.

Other species that engage in lekking include some types of paper wasps, fruit bats, bullfrogs, and moths.

Today we are concluding our 2022 Birdorable Bonanza by adding a colorful bird of the New World: the Elegant Trogon!

Elegant Trogons are native to a wide range across Mexico and Central America, where they reside in a variety of woodland habitat types. There is a summer breeding population in southeast Arizona.

The Elegant Trogon is a beautifully colored bird. Adult males have a black face and throat, iridescent green upperparts, a red belly separated by a white band, grey wings, and a finely speckled undertail.

Shop for gifts featuring our cute bird on Zazzle, including this Birdorable Elegant Trogon Tote Bag.

This concludes our 2022 Birdorable Bonanza. Thank you for following along! We wish our fans and followers all the best for the holiday season and good wishes for the coming year!

Today's new Birdorable is a New World songbird. Look-up, over here, see me, up here, it's the Red-eyed Vireo!

That funny introduction above refers to a common mnemonic, or memory aid, to help birders remember the repetitive song of the Red-eyed Vireo. This songster is often heard before it is seen.

Besides the iconic song, Red-eyed Vireos can be recognized by the pretty red eyes they develop as adults, and their distinctive eye stripe.

Tomorrow we'll finish off our 2022 Birdorable Bonanza with one of our most requested species. It's a colorful bird with a fancy name and is found across Mexico, Central America, and southeast Arizona. Can you guess tomorrow's new bird?

Today the Black-faced Spoonbill joins Birdorable!

This special bird is native to a small range across eastern Asia. Of all of the six species of spoonbill, the Black-faced Spoonbill has the most limited range, and is the only species to be considered Endangered (the others all have a conservation status of Least Concern). The biggest threat they face is loss of habitat.

Black-faced Spoonbills can be recognized by their long spatula-shaped bills, large white bodies, and namesake black faces. Breeding birds (like our cartoon cutie) develop a yellow band at the base of the neck. Young birds, and adults outside of breeding, lack the yellow band (like the photo example below).

Shop for gifts featuring the new bird on Amazon, including our Birdorable Black-faced Spoonbill Tank Top.

Tomorrow our Birdorable Bonanza will continue when we add a North American species named for the color of its eyes. This passerine has a repetitive song and is often heard before it is seen. Do you know the bird?

Today's new bird is a species of finch with a widespread range across a variety of habitats in sub-Saharan Africa. Meet the Birdorable African Firefinch!

There are four or five recognized subspecies of African Firefinch. All birds have reddish underparts and olive-brown upperparts, but the intensity of the color and the ratio of red to olive-brown varies among the subspecies. Males sport distinctive white spots on their flanks.

Find African Firefiinch gifts on Amazon, including this Birdorable African Firefinch Raglan Tee.

Tomorrow we'll add an endangered species of spoonbill to Birdorable. Can you guess which of the 6 species of spoonbill will join the flock?

Today's new Birdorable bird is our 102nd new species of parrot! Welcome the Blue-headed Parrot to our flock!

The Blue-headed Parrot is a medium-sized parrot with a range in and around the Amazon basin in South America. They feed on fruits, berries, and seeds. These darlings are cavity nesters, using either living trees or dead tree stumps.

Blue-headed Parrots have a mostly bright green plumage along with their namesake blue head. Males and females look alike.

Shop for Birdorable Blue-headed Parrot gifts on Amazon, including this Birdorable Blue-headed Parrot Throw Pillow.

Tomorrow we'll add a small species of finch found in sub-Saharan Africa. They have a fiery red plumage and males sport white spots on their flanks. Do you know the species?

Today's new Birdorable is a small species of toucan. Check out the Northern Emerald Toucanet!

These little toucans live in mountain forest habitat across parts of Mexico and Central America. Males and females look alike with a bright green body plumage and relatively large yellow and black bills.

Find our Northern Emerald Toucanet on a variety of apparel and gift options on Amazon, including this Birdorable Northern Emerald Toucanet Pullover Hoodie.

Tomorrow's new Birdorable is a species in the Psittacidae family. It is named for the color of its head, and lives in the Amazon basin. Do you know the species?

Today a bird that cannot be seen in the wild joins Birdorable. While there is hard work and much hope that the Guam Kingfisher can be reintroduced into the wild, the last free flying individuals were seen in the mid-1980s.

Their population was decimated by a non-native snake, the Brown Tree Snake. The introduction of this Asian snake to Guam was devastating to many native species on the island.

With just 29 individual Guam Kingfishers remaining in 1986, in order to save the species, all of the birds were captured for captive breeding. Today the captive population is close to 140 individuals. Conservationists are hoping to reintroduce the Guam Kingfisher into the wild on a snake-free island near Guam.

Guam Kingfishers have a pretty plumage with a rufous head with black eyestripe, and blue-green wings, back, and rump. Males have rufous underparts. Our Birdorable bird has a white belly; she is a female.

Tomorrow's new Birdorable is the world's northernmost species of toucan. Do you know the name of this little bird?

Today a cute little songbird from Australia and nearby island nations joins Birdorable! Welcome the Grey Fantail to the family!

Grey Fantails are insectivores. They include flashing their tails as part of their hunting strategy.

Several subspecies of Grey Fantail are recognized, each distinguished by slight differences in plumage, as well as in their native range. With its dark tail and buffy underparts, our Birdorable cartoon illustration is based on nominate Rhipidura albiscapa albiscapa, which breeds on Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands.

Tomorrow we'll add a special species of kingfisher that is currently extinct in the wild. Conservationists are working to bring this island bird back to the wild. Can you guess the species?