Female blue-footed boobies of the Galápagos Islands will mate only after a very specific courtship display on the part of the male. He high-steps to advertise his bright blue feet. What mechanism discourages female blue-footed boobies from mating with other species of boobies that have different courtship displays?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mechanism that discourages female blue-footed boobies from mating with other species of boobies that have different courtship displays is behavioral isolation. This refers to the fact that the specific courtship display of the male blue-footed booby is unique to their species, so females will not mate with males of other species that display differently.

Female Blue-Footed Boobies of the Galápagos Islands Will Mate Only