Let’s talk about leks, a mating ritual with a seeing, hearing, and strutting component. We’re going to focus on the male Greater Sage-Grouse, as it’s more typical for this sex to perform: First, the distinctive male birds gather in an open area and strut their stuff while inflating and deflating the air sacs on their chest—the noise sounds like champagne bottles popping. These sights and sounds catch the female’s attention, and they begin to gather on the outskirts of the “stage.” The dance-off may continue for several days. Typically, a few dominant grouse located in the center of the lek receive almost all the female attention.
