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Comportements - Parades nuptiales (63) Images supplémentaires...
Animals use many and varied means in their courtship and mating rituals. Birds of paradise, for instance, have evolved extremely complex displays and colourful plumes, while bowerbirds focus on eleaborately decorated display grounds. Some animals present nuptial gifts, others engage in aggressive or defensive biting and punching, and many species employ loud vocalisations and bright colours.



Explore our gallery of courtship behaviour, from chilled out seals to affectionate owls and ecstatic newts!


European hares (Lepus europaeus) courtship chase, UK, February. Highly commended Animal Behaviour category, British Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards (BWPA) 2013
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Andy Rouse / European hares (Lepus europaeus) courtship chase, UK, February. Highly commended Animal Behaviour category, British Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards (BWPA) 2013
Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pair, Donna Nook, Lincolnshire, UK, November 2008
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Wild Wonders of Europe / Geslin / Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pair, Donna Nook, Lincolnshire, UK, November 2008
Grey-crowned crane pair (Balearica regulorum) Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. December
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Anup Shah / Grey-crowned crane pair (Balearica regulorum) Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. December
Dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) courting pair leaping from the sea, Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, January.
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Brent Stephenson / Dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) courting pair leaping from the sea, Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, January.
Alpine Newts (Triturus alpestris) male and female displaying courtship behaviour, Captive. From Traversari lake, Campigna National Park, Emilia Romagna and Tuscany regions, Italy
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Fabio Liverani / Alpine Newts (Triturus alpestris) male and female displaying courtship behaviour, Captive. From Traversari lake, Campigna National Park, Emilia Romagna and Tuscany regions, Italy
Rock beauty (Holacanthus tricolor) pair spawning, with the male rubbing against the flank of the female during the spawning rise, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbe...
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Alex Mustard / Rock beauty (Holacanthus tricolor) pair spawning, with the male rubbing against the flank of the female during the spawning rise, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbe...
Impala (Aepyceros melampus) male jumping during rut. Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa.
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Andy Rouse / Impala (Aepyceros melampus) male jumping during rut. Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa.
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) male displaying, red throat pouch inflated. Galapagos
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Ole Jorgen Liodden / Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) male displaying, red throat pouch inflated. Galapagos
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male in full display. This was the dominant male at the lek. Varanger, Norway, June.
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Roger Powell / Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) male in full display. This was the dominant male at the lek. Varanger, Norway, June.
Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) male depositing blue pen at bower, Lamington NP, Queensland, Australia, September
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David Tipling / Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) male depositing blue pen at bower, Lamington NP, Queensland, Australia, September
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) slapping the surface during courtship battle, Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
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Mark Carwardine / Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) slapping the surface during courtship battle, Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
Male Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruvianus) displaying. Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, Peru, August.
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Hermann Brehm / Male Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruvianus) displaying. Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, Peru, August.