Lekking birds

Capercaillie lek

Dawn chorus at a Capercaillie lek

Black Grouse lek

Great Snipe

Capercaillie, Common Crane and Black Grouse

Black Grouse and Raven

Black Grouse and Common Crane

Black Grouse lekking

A more than one hour long droprig recording (AudioTechnica BP4025 less than 10 m from the lekking ground). The first males arrived arround 5:00 AM but the real lek started when the sun rose (6:00 AM) when also the females arrived. Around 10 males and several females attended the lek this morning. Probably the peak of the mating season. Mistle thrushes can be heard singing in flight, several species of geese migrating north, redpolls, brambling and chaffinches migrated north. A very memorable night! Also with Ural Owl, Tengmalm's Owl and Pygmy Owl (not on the recording though). April 9, 2023.

Lekking Black Grouse

I spent the night in the forest to wake up with lekking Capercaillie. This is the fourth year in a row in late April. This year I was in luck since three hens visited the dominant male who displayed just in front of my mic. The ultra-sound part of their calls can be heard here. April 21, 2023.
AudioTechnica BP6025, Mixpre 3ii

Capercaillie lekking during the hen week

From around 11 PM to 2 AM around ten Great Snipes gathered together on a mountain meadow with seepage water for their lekking activities. Some of the males displayed less than 2 m away from me - they had only eyes for their competitors! Mostly non-violent but I saw a couple of real fights between two males. The "song" is odd to say the least... Bergs municipality, June 11, 2023.

The peculiar Great Snipe lek

Field sound recordist and archivist of vanishing sounds in natural Iandscapes. Highly commended in the Sound of the Year Awards 2024 - Best Natural Sound.

Lekking birds

Bo Söderström