COCKY

When it comes to finding a mate, nature has made things a little more difficult for some species than others. Just ask this poor lance-tailed manakin, who, in order to convince his beloved, must endure an acrobatic number comparable –with its extreme technical difficulty, coordination and dexterity– to that of an Olympic gymnast nailing a landing: beginning with a powerful vertical jump, followed by a subtle turn of the wings, just touching the ground with a loud click, but not before rotating the body slightly, unleashing a triple forward somersault and landing with chin raised, stood like a statue to show off the intense blue of his chest. So good luck with your hen, cock of the walk!