 |
Courtship and Mating | |
||
| Description
Range, Migratory Patterns, and Habitat Development of Young and Life Span
|
Courtship begins approximately in late December or early January. Males will call and hone in on the answering female. The male will land near the female and approach her in a submissive posture making a humming or deep throaty sound. The female’s reaction to the male has been described as coy. At times she will ignore him and at others she will repeat the vocalizations of the male back to him (Eckert 1974). Throughout the display, they will rub faces and beaks in a kissing fashion. The male will usually bring offerings of food to the female, which he lays at her feet. Consumption of the prey signals an acceptance on the female’s part of the male. Mating soon follows and can range in time from 20 seconds to 1 minute. Mating will occur repeatedly in the next few days and then stop. The pair will stay relatively close together after mating stops but show little affection for the other (Terres 1966). It is believed that they mate for life, although they will find a new mate if one dies (Canadian Wildlife Service 2000). |