Photo Feature
Love Can Be Violent
<p><strong>Girish Ketkar, Love can be violent.</strong> <em>This pair of Lesser Kestrels </em>Falco naumanni<em> seem to be engaged in a ferocious fight, but are in fact playfully locking their talons, grappling and nipping as part of their courtship. During these rituals, they often tumble down, sometimes hundreds of feet! A study conducted at a colonial nesting site in Spain found that Lesser Kestrels copulate frequently during the breeding season; an average 326·2 times per female per clutch was observed! This high frequency could be a strategy to bond better with their mate and improve breeding success.</em></p>
<p><strong>Location:</strong> <em>Lonavala, Maharashtra</em></p>