Bird courtship & display can be one of the most captivating events in the natural world. This attractive & informative book looks at natural selection & why birds have evolved different reproduction strategies, examining territories, birdsong, displays & dealing with rivals. It also looks at different bird lifestyles, including monogamy, polygamy, polyandry, promiscuity & communal arrangements, as well as the importance of plumage, including why males are usually brighter & how special plumage features have evolved.” The Mating Lives of Birds” then focuses on some of the most spectacular bird displays, including Bittern (`booming`, territorial & mating call); superb Lyrebird (amazing tail feathers, posture display in special arena); grouse (leks, special calls, plumage features); Golden Eagle (pendulum flight with both male & female); cranes (dancing displays); Ruddy Duck (drumming noises, bubbling effects); puffins (bill colours change for breeding season); egrets (elaborate display plumes); frigatebirds (inflatable throat-pouch display), birds-of-paradise (outrageous plumage, hanging displays, vocalization); Ruff (special breeding plumage, `jousting` between males at leks) & phalaropes (role reversal, female brighter & proactive in display). This evocatively written & richly illustrated title will be an essential addition to the library of any keen birdwatcher.