This is Bird Note.

What is it that draws us to a romantic partner?

For birds, it might be a sweet song,

compatible personality type,

the right zesty scent or outrageous dance moves.

The serenade of a male white-throated sparrow

prompts a response in a female sparrow's brain

that resembles that of humans listening to their favourite music.

Most cranes, like these sandhill cranes,

do act with prospective partners for years

before they begin breeding.

For staleas jays, birds of a feather pair together.

Couples in which individuals have a similar temperament,

either both shy or both bold,

tend to be the most successful at raising chicks.

Crested orklets of both sexes

produce a pungent citrus perfume.

Field biologists can smell a breeding colony

from a boat as they approach.

Blue-footed boobies, on the other hand, dance.

The birds display their feet to each other

in a pondrous padded ur,

...