What is a lek?

A lek is a gathering of males, of certain animal species, for the purposes of competitive mating display. Leks assemble before and during the breeding season, on a daily basis. The same group of males meet at a traditional place and take up the same individual positions on an arena, each occupying and defending a small territory or court. Intermittently or continuously, they spar individually with their neighbors or put on extravagant visual or aural displays (mating "dances" or gymnastics, plumage displays, vocal challenges, etc.) to attract females.

Lek mating arena, modeled on the sage grouse, in which alpha-male (highest ranking), beta-male, gamma-male, etc., each guards a territory a few meters in size.  Each individual is shown with variations in personal space (bubbles), with higher-ranking individuals having larger bubbles.  Dominant males may each attract eight or more females into their bubbles.  Common bird leks typically have 25-30 individuals.

The term derives from the Swedish lek, a noun which typically denotes pleasurable and less rule-bound games and activities.

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