>
> I was struck with some of the similarities between
> the Birds of Paradise and the Long-tailed Manakins
> of Costa Rica (I did an Earthwatch project with them).

What do you think of Attenbourough's "alternate" theory that the females are not
selecting for the quality of the male's display, but for the perch, or his selection of branch
that he has chosen (earned) for his performance?
Were your male manakins banded so that you could identify
individuals? Did your "hot male" command a certain spot in a lek?
Did he stay in one place, or move around to different areas?
Clarice Clark
jbroadus at seanet.com
Puyallup, WA. 98371