Controlling the female side of this complex courtship conversation has enabled Gail to observe how changes in the hen’s behaviour affect the male’s performance. ‘We see that the males are adjusting the rate of their display according to the proximity of the females. They’re actually responding and using their energy where it would matter most.Unsuccessful guys blast away at top level all the time and then when it comes to crunch they don’t have much left to put on a great show. And that’s probably a combination of social skills and their own underlying health.’
