Strani cerchi nel lago

After the sweltering heat, I decided to take a quick trip to the lake to see if any eggs had hatched. I found a single pair of great crested grebes with a chick, but they were too far away to film, and coots with their chicks. But the most interesting thing was observing a truly peculiar scene in the lake... During the breeding season, the bluegill (Lepomis gibbosus), also known by the common name of humpback, displays highly territorial behavior. The male prepares a breeding area and vigorously defends it from other males, attempting to attract the female and protect the egg-laying area. However, the dominant male does not always succeed in fertilizing all the eggs in the nest. Other males may attempt actual incursions, quickly entering the territory to fertilize some of the eggs before being chased away. There is also an even more peculiar behavior: some males appear to adopt a female-like behavior, attempting to deceive the dominant male and approach the nest without being rejected. On this point, however, a clarification is needed. Male raiders are a well-observed and studied behavior, while the phenomenon of so-called "males masquerading as females" remains controversial. This behavior has not been documented in populations in North America, the species' native range, while it appears to have been observed primarily in Europe. To date, however, there are no in-depth and conclusive studies fully confirming this strategy in the European bluegill. #nature #animals #birds #fish ================================================================================= Follow me on: Instagram:   / roberto_porro_wildlifee   Facebook:   / robertoporrowildlife   TikTok:   / roberto_porro_wildlife   Web: https://www.robertoporro.com